An Anderson-localized random nanolaser

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates on-chip random nanolasers utilizing Anderson localization in disordered photonic structures, achieving efficient, broadband, and tunable lasing with potential for thresholdless operation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to nanolaser design using intrinsic disorder for cavity feedback, enabling new functionalities and control in photonic devices.

Findings

Achieved highly efficient, broadband tunable lasing in disordered photonic structures.

Observed the transition from ballistic transport to Anderson localization.

Demonstrated all-optical control of random lasing phenomena.

Abstract

Precision is a virtue throughout science in general and in optics in particular where carefully fabricated nanometer-scale devices hold great promise for both classical and quantum photonics [1-6]. In such nanostructures, unavoidable imperfections often impose severe performance limits but, in certain cases, disorder may enable new functionalities [7]. Here we demonstrate on-chip random nanolasers where the cavity feedback is provided by the intrinsic disorder in a semiconductor photonic-crystal waveguide, leading to Anderson localization of light [8]. This enables highly efficient and broadband tunable lasers with very small mode volumes. We observe an intriguing interplay between gain, dispersion-controlled slow light, and disorder, which determines the cross-over from ballistic transport to Anderson localization. Such a behavior is a unique feature of non-conservative random media that enables the demonstration of all-optical control of random lasing. Our statistical analysis shows a way towards ultimate thresholdless random nanolasers.