Higher-order defect mode laser in an optically thick photonic crystal slab

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that higher-order defect modes in thick photonic crystal slabs can achieve high-quality confinement and lasing, enabling efficient laser designs with potential for integrated photonics.

Contribution

It introduces the design and experimental realization of a higher-order defect mode laser in an optically thick photonic crystal slab, showing high-Q confinement and lasing at 1347 nm.

Findings

High-Q of 10^5 achieved in simulations

Lasing observed at 1347 nm with 88 μW pump power

Successful confinement of higher-order defect mode in thick slab

Abstract

The use of an optically thick slab may provide versatile solutions for the realization of a current injection type laser using photonic crystals. Here, we show that a transversely higher-order defect mode can be designed to be confined by a photonic band gap in such a thick slab. Using simulations, we show that a high-Q of 10^5 is possible from a finely tuned second-order hexapole mode. Experimentally, we achieve optically pumped pulsed lasing at 1347 nm from the second-order hexapole mode with a peak threshold pump power of 88 uW.