Abstract
Plasmon lasers can support ultrasmall mode confinement and ultrafast dynamics with device feature sizes below the diffraction limit. However, most plasmon-based nanolasers rely on solid gain materials (inorganic semiconducting nanowire or organic dye in a solid matrix) that preclude the possibility of dynamic tuning. Here we report an approach to achieve real-time, tunable lattice plasmon lasing based on arrays of gold nanoparticles and liquid gain materials. Optically pumped arrays of gold nanoparticles surrounded by liquid dye molecules exhibit lasing emission that can be tuned as a function of the dielectric environment. Wavelength-dependent time-resolved experiments show distinct lifetime characteristics below and above the lasing threshold. By integrating gold nanoparticle arrays within microfluidic channels and flowing in liquid gain materials with different refractive indices, we achieve dynamic tuning of the plasmon lasing wavelength. Tunable lattice plasmon lasers offer prospects to enhance and detect weak physical and chemical processes on the nanoscale in real time.
Highlights
Plasmon lasers can support ultrasmall mode confinement and ultrafast dynamics with device feature sizes below the diffraction limit
There have been a few reports on tuning plasmon nanolasers by changing the doping levels of the semiconductor gain media[12] or the emission properties of dye molecules[15], these approaches are based on solid gain materials such as inorganic nanowires or organic dye in a solid matrix that precludes possibilities of dynamic tuning[9,12,14,16]
We find that liquid gain, where IR-140 dye molecules are dissolved in organic solvents, shows superior lasing characteristics compared with the same dye in a solid matrix[14]
Summary
Plasmon lasers can support ultrasmall mode confinement and ultrafast dynamics with device feature sizes below the diffraction limit. We report an approach to achieve real-time, tunable lattice plasmon lasing based on arrays of gold nanoparticles and liquid gain materials. By integrating gold nanoparticle arrays within microfluidic channels and flowing in liquid gain materials with different refractive indices, we achieve dynamic tuning of the plasmon lasing wavelength. There have been a few reports on tuning plasmon nanolasers by changing the doping levels of the semiconductor gain media[12] or the emission properties of dye molecules[15], these approaches are based on solid gain materials such as inorganic nanowires or organic dye in a solid matrix that precludes possibilities of dynamic tuning[9,12,14,16]. Real-time switching and shifting of the nanolasing wavelength are achieved by flowing different plugs of liquid gain material through the channel
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