Plasmonic Waveguide-Integrated Nanowire Laser

Nano Lett. 2017 Feb 8;17(2):747-754. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b03879. Epub 2017 Jan 9.

Abstract

Next-generation optoelectronic devices and photonic circuitry will have to incorporate on-chip compatible nanolaser sources. Semiconductor nanowire lasers have emerged as strong candidates for integrated systems with applications ranging from ultrasensitive sensing to data communication technologies. Despite significant advances in their fundamental aspects, the integration within scalable photonic circuitry remains challenging. Here we report on the realization of hybrid photonic devices consisting of nanowire lasers integrated with wafer-scale lithographically designed V-groove plasmonic waveguides. We present experimental evidence of the lasing emission and coupling into the propagating modes of the V-grooves, enabling on-chip routing of coherent and subdiffraction confined light with room-temperature operation. Theoretical considerations suggest that the observed lasing is enabled by a waveguide hybrid photonic-plasmonic mode. This work represents a major advance toward the realization of application-oriented photonic circuits with integrated nanolaser sources.

Keywords: Nanowire lasers; hybrid devices; photonic circuitry; plasmonic waveguides; semiconductor nanowires.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Letter