Chapter Twelve - Physics and applications of semiconductor nanowire lasers

Abstract

Semiconductor nanowire lasers have long been proposed as elements for on-chip photonics, integrated optoelectronic circuitry, post-von Neumann computing and biological applications. They provide localised sources of coherent optical radiation, and can be fabricated from a wide variety of material systems using many growth techniques. Uniting this topic is the use of nanowires as an integrated cavity, waveguide and gain material. In this chapter, the common features of nanowire lasers are described: the underlying laser physics, the design rules for cavity and gain material and contemporary fields of research including optical coupling and plasmonics. An overview of key theoretical developments, experimental demonstrations and outstanding challenges is given.