Dynamic Hysteresis Probes High-{\beta} Nanolaser Emission Regimes

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method using second order intensity correlation to characterize coherence in high-{eta} nanolasers, revealing dynamical hysteresis and the transition from chaotic to coherent emission.

Contribution

It presents the first photon fluctuation study for high-{eta} nanolasers and demonstrates a new technique for coherence characterization based on intensity correlation measurements.

Findings

Second order intensity correlation peak width indicates emission coherence transition.

Photon fluctuation analysis confirms the measurement technique's validity.

Observation of dynamical hysteresis in a nanolaser through delayed threshold effects.

Abstract

The quest for an integrated light source that promises high energy efficiency and fast modulation for high-performance photonic circuits has led to the development of room-temperature telecom-wavelength nanoscale laser with high spontaneous emission factors, \beta. The coherence characterization of this type of lasers is inherently difficult with the conventional measurement of output light intensity versus input pump intensity due to the diminishing kink in the measurement curve. We demonstrate the transition from chaotic to coherent emission of a high-{\beta} pulse-pump metallo-dielectric nanolaser can be determined by examining the width of a second order intensity correlation peak, which shrinks below and broadens above threshold. Photon fluctuation study, first one ever reported for this type of nanolaser, confirms the validity of this measurement technique. Additionally, we show that the width variation above threshold results from the delayed threshold phenomenon, providing the first indirect observation of dynamical hysteresis in a nanolaser.