Nanowire Lasers

Abstract

Abstract:We review principles and trends in the use of semiconductor nanowires as gain media for stimulated emission and lasing. Semiconductor nanowires have recently been widely studied for use in integrated optoelectronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells, and transistors. Intensive research has also been conducted in the use of nanowires for subwavelength laser systems that take advantage of their quasione-dimensional (1D) nature, flexibility in material choice and combination, and intrinsic optoelectronic properties. First, we provide an overview on using quasi-1D nanowire systems to realize subwavelength lasers with efficient, directional, and low-threshold emission. We then describe the state of the art for nanowire lasers in terms of materials, geometry, and wavelength tunability. Next, we present the basics of lasing in semiconductor nanowires, define the key parameters for stimulated emission, and introduce the properties of nanowires. We then review advanced nanowire laser designs from the literature. Finally, we present interesting perspectives for low-threshold nanoscale light sources and optical interconnects. We intend to illustrate the potential of nanolasers in many applications, such as nanophotonic devices that integrate electronics and photonics for next-generation optoelectronic devices. For instance, these building blocks for nanoscale photonics can be used for data storage and biomedical applications when coupled to on-chip characterization tools. These nanoscale monochromatic laser light sources promise breakthroughs in nanophotonics, as they can operate at room temperature, can potentially be electrically driven, and can yield a better understanding of intrinsic nanomaterial properties and surface-state effects in lowdimensional semiconductor systems.

Lasing in robust cesium lead halide perovskite nanowires

“…Photonic lasing arises from the unique ability of a nanowire to act as both gain medium and laser cavity. Forming the nanowire from a stable, highly absorptive, and emissive material allows for stimulated emission to occur upon reaching a sufficient carrier density (11,35). The nanowire geometry defines the laser cavity, which is bounded on either end by the nanowire end facets.…”

“…Acting both as the laser cavity and gain medium (6), nanowires may be easily incorporated into optoelectronic circuits based on their size as well as recent advances in electrical pumping (7)(8)(9)(10). A wide range of nanowire lasers has been reported consisting of a multitude of compositions including many II-VI and III-V semiconductors (11). Unfortunately, fabrication of many of these nanowires requires expensive hightemperature or low-pressure conditions.…”

Electrochemically Grown ZnO Vertical Nanowire Scintillator with Light‐Guiding Effect

“…Thus, light with an incidence angle ( θ ) larger than 24° travels inside the ZnO nanowires due to the total internal reflection mode like a optical fiber, and then directional light along the nanowire axis is extracted from the top surface of the ZnO nanowires. Such a light‐guiding effect in the nanowire structures has been mainly studied in the field of LEDs and lasers due to an improvement in the light extraction efficiency . Henneghien and co‐workers conducted finite‐difference time domain (FDTD) simulations using a ZnO nanowire model with an emission wavelength of 380 nm, and reported that the nanowire radius significantly affects the wave‐guiding effect and emitting properties.…”

Miniaturized GaAs Nanowire Laser with a Metal Grating Reflector

“…Nanolasers hold the key position in on-chip sensing, optical interconnection and computing systems [1][2][3][4][5]. With cylindrical geometry and strong two-dimensional confinement of electrons, holes and photons, the independent semiconductor nanowire is one of the ideal candidates for nanolasers [6][7][8]. To date, room-temperature lasing emission has been realized in ZnO, GaN, CdS and GaAs nanowires, covering the optical spectrum from ultra-violet to near-infrared [9][10][11][12][13][14].…”