Lasing Spaser in Photonic Crystals

Abstract

Plasmonic nanolasers (spasers) are of intense interest, attributable to their ability to generate a high-intensity coherent radiation. We infiltrated a three-dimensional silica-based photonic crystal (PhC) film with spasers, composed of spherical gold cores, surrounded by silica shells with dye molecules. In spasers, the gold nanospheres supported the surface plasmons and the dye molecules transferred incoming optical energy to the surface plasmons. Our experiments show that such a structure, consisting of a PhC, which acts as an external distributed feedback resonator, and spasers, can serve as a coherent source of electromagnetic radiation. Spasers were locked in phase by the common radiation causing a phenomenon called the lasing spaser: the emission of spatially and temporarily coherent light normal to the surface of the PhC film. The far-field radiation patterns appeared in the shape of the Star-of-David, which is due to the dispersion along the Brillouin zone boundary. The infiltration of the spasers into the PhC led to drastic narrowing of the emission peak and an 80-fold decrease in the spaser generation threshold with respect to the same spasers in a suspension at room temperature.

Amplification of light scattering in arrays of nanoholes by plasmonic absorption-induced transparency

“…Schematically shown in Fig. 1, IR-140 optical response is fully characterized by the following material parameters: host refractive index n h = 1.62 (actually, the model simulates the infrared IR-140 dye laser within a polymer PMMA matrix); population of the ground state N 0 = 0.6 molecules/nm 3 ; absorption and emission wavelengths λ a = 805 nm and λ e = 870 nm; absorption and emission dipole strengths (coupling constants) σ a = 6.898 × 10 −8 C 2 /kg and σ e = 5.152 × 10 −8 C 2 /kg; resonances half-width Γ a = 0.134 fs −1 and Γ e = 0.075 fs −1 . Finally, relaxation times are: τ 32 = τ 10 = 100 fs and τ 21 = 240 ps.…”

“…The phenomena in which surface plasmons are involved are many and of a very diverse nature. For instance, in the quest of nanolasers metals and colloidal solutions of quantum dots have been combined to recently demonstrate plasmonic distributed-feedback lasers [2] and, dye molecules, metals and silica-based photonic crystals have been used to create a 3D plasmonic laser [3].…”

Ultrafast photoluminescence and multiscale light amplification in nanoplasmonic cavity glass

“…For instance, enhanced emission due to exciton-plasmon coupling in plexcitonics has been exploited to build a surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of a radiation device, called a spaser 5 , 12 – 17 . In a lasing spaser, identical spasers synchronize their dipole moment oscillations, producing coherent radiation 18 , 19 . Thus, they become an effective emitter of strong far-field light.…”

Facile Fabrication of Gold Nanorods@Polystyrenesulfonate Yolk–Shell Nanoparticles for Spaser Applications

“… 3 , 4 The most recently explored application of gold nanoparticles is their utilization as a resonator in plasmonic nanolasers (spasers). 5 , 6 Here, GNPs are surrounded by a thin layer of an active medium whose emission band overlaps with the spectrum of localized surface plasmons of the GNP. For this purpose, colloidal core–shell spasing nanoparticles have been created, where molecules of an active medium are infiltrated into the mesoporous silica shell surrounding the gold core.…”

“…Despite the enormous amount of research done on gold nanoparticles (GNPs), they are still of tremendous interest for their unique optical, catalytic, and electronic properties, etc. , For example, many of the current rapid SARS-CoV-2 self-tests rely on GNPs, which results from their facile functionalization for biomedical applications. , The most recently explored application of gold nanoparticles is their utilization as a resonator in plasmonic nanolasers (spasers). , Here, GNPs are surrounded by a thin layer of an active medium whose emission band overlaps with the spectrum of localized surface plasmons of the GNP. For this purpose, colloidal core–shell spasing nanoparticles have been created, where molecules of an active medium are infiltrated into the mesoporous silica shell surrounding the gold core.…”