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Band-edge engineering for controlled multi-modal nanolasing in plasmonic superlattices

Nature Nanotechnology volume 12, pages 889–894 (2017)Cite this article

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Abstract

Single band-edge states can trap light and function as high-quality optical feedback for microscale lasers and nanolasers. However, access to more than a single band-edge mode for nanolasing has not been possible because of limited cavity designs. Here, we describe how plasmonic superlattices—finite-arrays of nanoparticles (patches) grouped into microscale arrays—can support multiple band-edge modes capable of multi-modal nanolasing at programmed emission wavelengths and with large mode spacings. Different lasing modes show distinct input–output light behaviour and decay dynamics that can be tailored by nanoparticle size. By modelling the superlattice nanolasers with a four-level gain system and a time-domain approach, we reveal that the accumulation of population inversion at plasmonic hot spots can be spatially modulated by the diffractive coupling order of the patches. Moreover, we show that symmetry-broken superlattices can sustain switchable nanolasing between a single mode and multiple modes.

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Figure 1: Multi-modal nanolasing in gold nanoparticle superlattices surrounded by liquid dye solutions.
Figure 2: Experiments and simulations of band-edge modes at zero and non-zero wavevectors supporting standing waves for multi-modal nanolasing.
Figure 3: Multi-modal nanolasing from plasmonic superlattices with controlled output behaviours and spatial coherence.
Figure 4: Modulation of the ultrafast decay dynamics of multi-modal lasing by micrometre patch–patch coupling.
Figure 5: Dynamic control of band-edge modes in symmetry-broken plasmonic line patches leading to switchable nanolasing between single and multiple modes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under DMR-1608258 and DMR-1306514 (D.W., A.Y., W.W., G.C.S., T.W.O.). This work made use of the Northwestern University Micro/Nano Fabrication Facility (NUFAB), which is supported by the State of Illinois and Northwestern University. This work made use of the EPIC facility of the Northwestern University's Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental Center (NUANCE), which has received support from the Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource (NSF NNCI-1542205); the MRSEC programme (NSF DMR-1121262) at the Materials Research Center; the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN); the Keck Foundation; and the State of Illinois, through the IIN. Use of the Center for Nanoscale Materials, an Office of Science user facility, was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under contract no. DE-AC02-06CH11357. This research was supported in part by the Quest high performance computing facility at Northwestern University, which is jointly supported by the Office of the Provost, the Office for Research, and Northwestern University Information Technology.

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  1. Ankun Yang

    Present address: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Applied Physics, Northwestern University, Evanston, 60208, Illinois, USA

    Danqing Wang, Weijia Wang, George C. Schatz & Teri W. Odom

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, 60208, Illinois, USA

    Ankun Yang, Yi Hua & Teri W. Odom

  3. Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, 60208, Illinois, USA

    Richard D. Schaller, George C. Schatz & Teri W. Odom

  4. Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, 60439, Illinois, USA

    Richard D. Schaller

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Contributions

D.W. and T.W.O. conceived the idea of engineering the band-edge modes for nanolasing with plasmonic nanoparticle superlattices. D.W. fabricated the devices, carried out the optical measurements, and performed FDTD numerical simulations of the band structure, near-field distribution and multi-modal lasing actions of the system. D.W. and A.Y. carried out lasing measurements, and Y.H. set up the angle-resolved emission map equipment. D.W., W.W. and R.D.S. carried out TA measurements, and R.D.S. set up the equipment. T.W.O. and G.C.S. guided the experimental and theoretical investigations. D.W., G.C.S. and T.W.O. analysed the data and wrote the manuscript. All authors commented on and revised the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to George C. Schatz or Teri W. Odom.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Wang, D., Yang, A., Wang, W. et al. Band-edge engineering for controlled multi-modal nanolasing in plasmonic superlattices. Nature Nanotech 12, 889–894 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2017.126

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