Generation of Silver Metal Nanocluster Random Lasing

Abstract

Atomically precise molecular-like metal nanoclusters (MNCs) exhibit unique properties, such as strong photoluminescence and absorption with inherent biocompatibility, which enable us to extend their applications to chemical sensing, biomedical imaging, optoelectronics, and many other areas. However, stimulated laser emission is greatly desirable to upgrade their more advanced functionalities. Here we provide a plausible approach to achieve this outstanding characteristic from MNCs. Quite interestingly, by integrating hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) with highly luminescent silver metal nanoclusters (Ag-TSA MNCs), a strong stimulated emission (random lasing action) with a low threshold of ∼0.5 kW cm −2 is discovered. The light emission is enhanced by ∼35 times when the solid-state assembly of Ag-TSA MNCs is integrated with HMM in comparison with that with a silicon substrate. The highk modes excited by the HMM offer the possibility of forming the coherent closed feedback loops necessary for random lasing actions, thereby decreasing the energy loss associated with the photons' propagation in the matrix. The simulations derived from the finite-difference time-domain method support the experimental results. Our study shown here makes an initial step to demonstrate stimulated laser action from metal nanoclusters. It is believed that there exist many other alternatives for exploring this emerging research topic for the future development of cost-effective and biocompatible optoelectronic devices.

Recent progress and prospects of random lasers using advanced materials

“…Innovative synthesis for targets based on nanocomposites serving as both the gain and the scattering media must bedeveloped. For instance, by integrating metamaterials with highly luminescent metal nanoclusters, strong random lasing may be explored 63 . Indeed, luminescent silver nanoclusters can emit photons under linear and nonlinear optical rergimes 182 , with wavelength tunability from the picosecond and sub-microsecond regimes 183 .…”

“…Silver metal nanoclusters (Ag-TSA MNC) films act as the gain medium, and HMM forms the possibility of trapping the light for the necessary RL action. 63 Another interesting work is done by E. Mendicuti et al in which RL output emission is achieved from whole blood as the gain medium and SiO 2 suspended in an isotonic solvent as the scatterer. 64 This introduces numerous prospects for further complex biological systems research in the field of RLs.…”

“…Silver metal nanoclusters (Ag–TSA MNC) films act as the gain medium, and HMM forms the possibility of trapping the light for the necessary RL action. 63…”

Plasmonically Enhanced Colloidal Quantum Dot/Graphene Doped Polymer Random Lasers

“…In contrast to conventional lasers that require an optical resonator with two highly reflective mirrors to confine the photons, random lasers are cavity-free and can be achieved by extended or localized modes via multi-scattering in a disordered gain medium [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Random lasers have attracted considerable attention in the last few years because of their distinctive structure and mechanism, and their potential applications in mechanical devices, thermal sensors, lighting sources, anti-fraudulent labeling, speckle-free imaging, and bio-medicine [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ].…”

Substrate Effects on the Random Lasing Performance of Solution-Processed Hybrid-Perovskite Multicrystal Film

“…Multicrystalline structures with randomly distributed interfaces have supplied the optical scattering centers in most of the cases. Although random lasers are categorized into coherent [11][12][13][14] and incoherent types [15][16][17], reported random lasing processes using HOIPs are mostly based on incoherent processes, so that broad-band emission spectra are observed for these lasers.…”