Electrically pumped random lasing based on an Au-ZnO nanowire Schottky junction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Random lasing offers unique properties for advanced optical applications.
• Semiconductor-based random lasers are highly sought after for their potential integration and scalability.
• Schottky junction diodes provide a robust platform for optoelectronic devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate electrically pumped random lasing in a novel Au-ZnO nanowire Schottky junction diode.
• To characterize the electrical and optical properties of the device.
• To investigate the underlying mechanism of random lasing generation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an Au-ZnO nanowire Schottky junction diode.
• Electrical characterization to determine current-voltage (I-V) properties and turn-on voltage.
• Electroluminescence spectroscopy to analyze lasing behavior and spectral features.
• Analysis of output power and dependence on drive current.

Main Results:

• The device exhibited typical Schottky diode characteristics with a turn-on voltage of 0.7 V.
• Electroluminescence confirmed good random lasing behavior with output power of approximately 67 nW at 100 mA drive current.
• Excitonic recombination was identified as the primary mechanism for lasing.
• Distinct spectral features of random lasing near 380 nm were observed, separable from Zn plasma emission.

Conclusions:

• An electrically pumped random laser was successfully demonstrated using an Au-ZnO nanowire Schottky junction.
• The device shows promising performance for semiconductor random laser applications.
• This Schottky junction approach offers a viable alternative for developing next-generation random laser diodes.