Open AccessSolution-processed PbS quantum dot infrared laser with room-temperature tunable emission in the optical telecommunications window
Author(s) -
Guy L. Whitworth,
Mariona Dalmases,
Nima Taghipour,
Gerasimos Konstantatos
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nature photonics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 13.674
H-Index - 331
eISSN - 1749-4893
pISSN - 1749-4885
DOI - 10.1038/s41566-021-00878-9
Subject(s) - laser , materials science , optoelectronics , lasing threshold , photonics , quantum dot , quantum dot laser , semiconductor laser theory , optical communication , semiconductor , wavelength , photonic integrated circuit , nanomaterials , optics , nanotechnology , physics
Solution processed semiconductor lasers have achieved much success across the nanomaterial research community, including in organic semiconductors 1,2 , perovskites 3,4 and colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals 5,6 . The ease of integration with other photonic components, and the potential for upscaling using emerging large area fabrication technologies, such as roll-to-roll 7 , make these lasers attractive as low-cost photonic light sources that can find use in a variety of applications: integrated photonic circuitry 8,9 , telecommunications 10,11 , chemo-/bio-sensing 12,13 , security 14 , and lab-on-chip experiments 15 . However, for fiber-optic or free-space optical (FPO) communications and eye-safe LIDAR applications, room temperature solution-processed lasers have remained elusive. Here we report the first solution processed laser, comprising PbS colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) integrated on a distributed feedback (DFB) cavitiy, with tuneable lasing wavelength from 1.55 μm - 1.65 μm. These lasers operate at room temperature and exhibit linewidths as low as ~0.9 meV.