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Applied physics

A cascade laser's random walk

Nature volume 503, pages 200–201 (2013)Cite this article

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A random array of holes etched in a semiconductor structure, consisting of a periodic series of thin layers, has been demonstrated that emits mid-infrared laser radiation. The device could have sensing and imaging applications.

Fifty-three years after their initial demonstration by Theodore Maiman1, lasers are now ubiquitous in our daily lives. We use them at the checkout counters of supermarkets, to read or write to DVDs, or just to surf the Internet (through fibre-optic communication systems). Lasers are also widely used in industrial settings and hospitals. Over the years, scientists and engineers have developed many types of laser using various materials for diverse applications. But despite such tremendous advances in laser technology, it is still a pleasant surprise to learn of developments that may pave the way for further cutting-edge applications. One example of this is a special class of laser — a random laser — operating in the mid-infrared that Liang et al. report2 in Advanced Materials.

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Figure 1: An electrically pumped mid-infrared random laser.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hui Cao and Stafford W. Sheehan are in the Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.,

    Hui Cao & Stafford W. Sheehan

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  1. Hui Cao
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  2. Stafford W. Sheehan
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Correspondence to Hui Cao.

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Cao, H., Sheehan, S. A cascade laser's random walk. Nature 503, 200–201 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/503200a

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