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Random nanolasing in the Anderson localized regime

Nature Nanotechnology volume 9, pages 285–289 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

The development of nanoscale optical devices for classical and quantum photonics1,2,3,4,5 is affected by unavoidable fabrication imperfections that often impose performance limitations. However, disorder may also enable new functionalities6, for example in random lasers, where lasing relies on random multiple scattering7,8,9,10,11,12,13. The applicability of random lasers has been limited due to multidirectional emission, lack of tunability, and strong mode competition11 with chaotic fluctuations14 due to a weak mode confinement. The regime of Anderson localization of light15 has been proposed for obtaining stable multimode random lasing16, and initial work concerned macroscopic one-dimensional layered media17. Here, we demonstrate on-chip random nanolasers where the cavity feedback is provided by the intrinsic disorder. The strong confinement achieved by Anderson localization reduces the spatial overlap between lasing modes, thus preventing mode competition and improving stability. This enables highly efficient, stable and broadband wavelength-controlled lasers with very small mode volumes. Furthermore, the complex interplay between gain, dispersion-controlled slow light, and disorder is demonstrated experimentally for a non-conservative random medium. The statistical analysis shows a way towards optimizing random-lasing performance by reducing the localization length, a universal parameter.

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Figure 1: Single-mode and multimode random lasing in the Anderson localization regime.
Figure 2: Controlling the Anderson localized random lasing wavelength.
Figure 3: Statistical properties of random lasing in the Anderson localization regime.
Figure 4: Intensity fluctuations in the Anderson localized regime.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank E. Semenova for epitaxial growth. The authors acknowledge financial support from the Danish Council for Independent Research (Natural Sciences and Technology and Production Sciences), the European Research Council (ERC consolidator grant) and the Villum Foundation (NATEC centre of excellence).

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Author notes

  1. M. Schubert

    Present address: Present address: Universitt Konstanz, Fachbereich Physik, Fach M 700, 78457 Konstanz, Germany,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Photonics Engineering, DTU Fotonik, Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads 343, Lyngby, DK-2800 Kgs, Denmark

    J. Liu, S. Ek, N. Gregersen, T. Suhr, M. Schubert & J. Mørk

  2. Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, DK-2100, Denmark

    J. Liu, P. D. Garcia, S. Stobbe & P. Lodahl

  3. South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    J. Liu

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Contributions

J.L. and M.S. carried out the optical experiments. S.E. and M.S. fabricated the sample. J.L. and P.D.G. analysed the experimental data. N.G., T.S. and J.M. developed the rate equation models. J.L., P.D.G, S.S. and P.L. wrote the manuscript. J.M., S.S. and P.L. supervised the project. All authors read and commented on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to P. Lodahl.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Liu, J., Garcia, P., Ek, S. et al. Random nanolasing in the Anderson localized regime. Nature Nanotech 9, 285–289 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2014.34

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