Strongly confined, low-threshold laser modes in organic semiconductor microgoblets

Intrinsic mode coupling in mirror-symmetric whispering gallery resonators

Rotationally symmetric micro-cavities with disk, ring or toroidal shape displaying whispering gallery modes (WGMs) play an essential role in modern-day photonics. Due to the reduced symmetry of such resonators compared to spheres, an exact analytical model yielding WGMs as solutions does not exist. The established WGM classification scheme based on approximated analytical solutions is generally useful but neglects a possible interaction between the different modes. In this paper, we assess the limitation of the validity of this established classification based on extensive finite element method (FEM) simulations. We investigate respective mode couplings as well as underlying selection rules based on avoided crossings of the modes' resonance wavelengths. We propose conserved mode properties solely based on true symmetries of the underlying refractive-index distribution and deduce a novel WGM classification scheme.

Two-Photon Polymerization: Functionalized Microstructures, Micro-Resonators, and Bio-Scaffolds

The direct laser writing technique based on two-photon polymerization (TPP) has evolved considerably over the past two decades. Its remarkable characteristics, such as 3D capability, sub-diffraction resolution, material flexibility, and gentle processing conditions, have made it suitable for several applications in photonics and biosciences. In this review, we present an overview of the progress of TPP towards the fabrication of functionalized microstructures, whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonators, and microenvironments for culturing microorganisms. We also describe the key physical-chemical fundamentals underlying the technique, the typical experimental setups, and the different materials employed for TPP.

Solid-state random microlasers fabricated via femtosecond laser writing

Here we demonstrate resonant random lasing in Rhodamine B-doped polymeric microstructures fabricated by means of femtosecond laser writing via two-photon polymerization. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of random lasing action in on-chip microdevices. Their feedback mechanism relies on diffuse reflections at the structure sidewall surfaces, which is known as spatially localized feedback since the scattering centers lie over the edges of the gain medium. By exciting the structures with a pulsed laser at 532 nm, a multimode emission with randomly distributed narrow peaks was observed, in accordance with the random nature of the feedback mechanism. Interestingly, their lasing threshold was found to be on the order of tens of nanojoules, which is comparable to what had been achieved for usual microcavities, thereby demonstrating the potentiality of these devices as solid-state lasers for integrated optics applications.

Low threshold Rhodamine-doped whispering gallery mode microlasers fabricated by direct laser writing

The combination of the outstanding properties of whispering gallery modes with both the flexibility and ease of processing of polymers is particularly attractive for photonics applications. However, the versatile fabrication of polymeric nano/microdevices with the desired photonic performance has proven challenging. Here, we report on lasing in Rhodamine B doped whispering gallery mode microcavities fabricated by direct laser writing via two-photon polymerization. Threshold pump energies as low as 12 nJ were achieved for free-space pulsed excitation at 532 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the lowest laser threshold attained for microcavities fabricated in a single step of femtosecond laser writing, a remarkable feat that stands out from other fabrication methods.

Extreme ultra-low lasing threshold of full-polymeric fundamental microdisk printed with room-temperature atmospheric ink-jet technique

We experimentally demonstrated an extreme ultra-low lasing threshold from full-polymeric fundamental microdisk cavities fabricated by a novel fabrication method, the ink-jet printing method, which is much simpler and easier than previous methods such as lithography. The ink-jet printing method provides additive, room-temperature atmospheric, rapid fabrication with only two steps: (i) stacking cladding pedestal and waveguiding disk spots using the ink-jet technique, and (ii) partial etching of the cladding pedestal envelope. Two kinds of low-viscosity polymers successfully formed microdisks with high surface homogeneity, and one of the polymers doped with LDS798 dye yielded whispering-gallery-mode lasing. The fundamental disks exhibited an extremely ultra-low lasing threshold of 0.33 μJ/mm² at a wavelength of 817.3 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this lasing threshold is the lowest threshold obtained among both organic and inorganic fundamental microdisk cavity lasers with a highly confined structure.

Femtosecond laser direct writing of single mode polymer micro ring laser with high stability and low pumping threshold

We have demonstrated an optically pumped polymer microring laser fabricated by two photon polymerization (TPP) of SU-8. The gain medium is an organic dye (Rhodamine B) doped in SU-8, and the laser cavity is a double coupled microring structure. Single mode lasing was obtained from the two coupled rings each with 30 µm and 29 µm radii using Vernier effect. Low laser threshold of 0.4 µJ/mm(2) is achieved using 1 µm wide polymer waveguides and the quality factor is greater than 10(4) at 612.4 nm wavelength. The lasing remained stable with pump energies from threshold to energies as high as 125 times the threshold.

Mechanically tunable organic vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) for highly sensitive stress probing in dual-modes

Herein, we report a straight forward stress probing method based on mechanically tunable organic VCSELs via dual detecting-modes. By designing the active layer thickness, uploaded stress was measured simultaneously by the laser wavelength and mode separations, facilitating highly sensitive stress detection in broad ranges. Single-mode laser emission with low threshold and narrow line-width was characterized, which could be tuned continuously within 8 nm. The probing sensitivity and resolution were estimated to be 60 Pa and 5.6 nm/KPa respectively, which were ~160-folds higher than previous results.

Titanium-enhanced Raman microcavity laser

Whispering gallery mode microcavities are ideally suited to form microlaser devices because the high circulating intensity within the cavity results in ultralow lasing thresholds. However, to achieve low-threshold Raman lasing in silica devices, it is necessary to have quality factors above 100 million. One approach to circumvent this restriction is to intercalate a sensitizer into the silica, which increases the Raman gain. In the present work, we demonstrate a Raman laser based on a titanium sensitized silica solgel coated toroidal microcavity. By tuning the concentration of the Ti, the Raman efficiency improves over 3× while maintaining sub-mW thresholds.

On-chip microlasers for biomolecular detection via highly localized deposition of a multifunctional phospholipid ink

We report on a novel approach to realize on-chip microlasers, by applying highly localized and material-saving surface functionalization of passive photonic whispering gallery mode microresonators. We apply dip-pen nanolithography on a true three-dimensional structure. We coat solely the light-guiding circumference of pre-fabricated poly(methyl methacrylate) resonators with a multifunctional molecular ink. The functionalization is performed in one single fabrication step and simultaneously provides optical gain as well as molecular binding selectivity. This allows for a direct and flexible realization of on-chip microlasers, which can be utilized as biosensors in optofluidic lab-on-a-chip applications. In a proof-of-concept we show how this highly localized molecule deposition suffices for low-threshold lasing in air and water, and demonstrate the capability of the ink-lasers as biosensors in a biotin-streptavidin binding experiment.

Optical amplification of two different propagation modes in organic small molecular waveguide structure

We investigate the emission spectra from the edge of optically pumped waveguide. The waveguide is based on vacuum-deposited thin films of small molecular, 2,5,2',5'-tetrakis(2,2-diphenylvinyl)biphenyl (TDPVBi). Narrowed emissions are observed both at high (> 6 KW/cm2) and low (< 1 W/cm2) pump power sources, which are attributed to two different propagation modes in the asymmetric slab waveguides, guided mode and cutoff mode, respectively. The peak wavelengths of the guided mode appear at the maximum of the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of the TDPVBi film. In contrast, both the peak wavelength and polarization of the cutoff mode are thickness dependent. The optical gains of the two modes are measured by the variable stripe length (VSL) method. The amplification with an exceptional low threshold for the cutoff mode has been demonstrated. Our results suggest that the cutoff mode is a promising route for the reduction of lasing threshold.