Low-voltage-tunable nanobeam lasers immersed in liquid crystals

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Nanotechnology
• Optoelectronics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Photonic crystal lasers offer unique light manipulation capabilities.
• Achieving efficient and low-voltage spectral tuning remains a key challenge in nanolasers.
• Liquid crystals (LCs) provide a tunable optical medium for modulating laser properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-voltage tunable one-dimensional nanobeam laser.
• To investigate the use of liquid crystals for spectral tuning in nanolasers.
• To achieve a high spectral tuning rate at low operating voltages.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an InGaAsP nanobeam laser with sub-micrometer width.
• Integration of the nanobeam between lithographically defined lateral electrodes using a polydimethylsiloxane stamp.
• Tuning the laser's spectral output by controlling the molecular alignment of surrounding liquid crystals via applied voltage.

Main Results:

• Successful realization of a low-voltage-tunable nanobeam laser.
• Observation of a total wavelength shift exceeding 6 nm at voltages below 10 V.
• Achieved a spectral tuning rate of 0.87 nm/V, the highest reported for LC-tuned photonic crystal lasers.

Conclusions:

• Low-voltage electrical control of liquid crystal alignment enables efficient spectral tuning of nanobeam lasers.
• The demonstrated device offers a promising platform for tunable photonic devices.
• The high tuning rate highlights the potential of this approach for advanced optical applications.