The electrical control of photonic crystal (PhC) lasers has been an attractive but challenging issue. Laser operation by electrical injection is of key importance for the viability and applicability of the PhC lasers. Another key factor is the electrical modulation of the laser output. The Fermi level of a graphene monolayer can be controlled by electrical gating, which adjusts its optical absorption. In this study, a graphene monolayer sheet is integrated on top of a two-dimensional PhC structure composed of InGaAsP multiple-quantum-wells (MQWs) in order to demonstrate the electrical modulation of a high-power (microwatt-scale) PhC band-edge laser. The introduced dielectric spacer layer presets the delicate balance between the optical gain from the MQWs and optical loss at the graphene monolayer. The proposed device is covered by an ion-gel film, which enables a low-voltage laser modulation at |Vg|≤1 V. The modulation is extensively investigated experimentally, and the obtained results are confirmed by performing numerical simulations.
A metallic nano-trench is a unique optical structure capable of ultrasensitive detection of molecules, active modulation as well as potential electrochemical applications. Recently, wet-etching the dielectrics of metal–insulator–metal structures has emerged as a reliable method of creating optically active metallic nano-trenches with a gap width of 10 nm or less, opening a new venue for studying the dynamics of nanoconfined molecules. Yet, the high surface tension of water in the process of drying leaves the nano-trenches vulnerable to collapsing, limiting the achievable width to no less than 5 nm. In this work, we overcome the technical limit and realize metallic nano-trenches with widths as small as 1.5 nm. The critical point drying technique significantly alleviates the stress applied to the gap in the drying process, keeping the ultra-narrow gap from collapsing. Terahertz spectroscopy of the trenches clearly reveals the signature of successful wet etching of the dielectrics without apparent damage to the gap. We expect that our work will enable various optical and electrochemical studies at a few-molecules-thick level.
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