ZnO nanocavity ultraviolet semiconductor lasers

I-6: ZnO nanocavity ultraviolet semiconductor lasers

S.P. Yu,
S.P. Lau,
K. Pita,
B.K. Tay (NTU, EEE) and
H.H. Hng (NTU, SME)

Abstract
We have demonstrated the formation of random lasing action inside ZnO nanocavities such as highly disordered thin films1,2,3, nanorods4, and nanoparticles5,6. We have solved the difficulties to achieve low-temperature realization of ZnO nanocavities on Si1,2,3 and plastic6 substrate so that low-cost and high-volume production of ZnO nanocavity lasers can be achieved. Hence, it is possible to further develop our fabrication technique to achieve electrical pumped ZnO nanocavities lasers. In fact, we have demonstrated the possibilities to fabricate light-emitting diodes in blue and ultraviolet wavelength. It is believed that our nanocavity lasers can find applications in bio-sensing, optical storage and image processing.

References

  1. S.F. Yu, Clement Yuen, S.P. Lau, Y.G. Wang, H.W. Lee, and B.K. Tay,’Ultraviolet Amplified Spontaneous Emission from Zinc Oxide Ridge Waveguides on Silicon Substrate’, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 83, no. 21, pp.4288-4290, 2003.
  2. S.F. Yu, Clement Yuen, S.P. Lau, and H.W. Lee,’Zinc Oxide Thin-Film Random Lasers on Silicon substrate’, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 84, no. 17, pp. 3244-3246, 2004.
  3. Clement Yuen, S.F. Yu, Eunice S.P. Leong, H.Y. Yang, S.P. Lau, N.S. Chen and H.H. Hng,’ Low-loss and directional output ZnO thin-film ridge waveguide random lasers with MgO capped layer’, Appl. Phys. Lett., 86, 031112, 2005.
  4. S.F. Yu, Clement Yuen, S.P. Lau, W. I. Park and Gyu-Chul Yi,’Random Laser Action in ZnO Nanorod Arrays embedded in ZnO Epilayers’, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 84, no. 17, pp. 3241-3243, 2004.
  5. Eunice S.P. Leong, M.K. Chong, S.F. Yu and K. Pita,’Sol-gel ZnO-SiO2 composite waveguide ultraviolet lasers’, IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., Vol. 16, no. 11, pp. 2418-2420, 2004.
  6. S.P. Lau, H.Y. Yang, S.F. Yu, Clement Yuen, Eunice S.P. Leong, H.D. Li and H.H. Hng,’Optically pumped flexible ultraviolet random laser’, in submission.