3D whispering-gallery-mode microlasers by direct laser writing and subsequent soft nanoimprint lithography

We demonstrate the realization of 3D whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) microlasers by direct laser writing (DLW) and their replication by nanoimprint lithography using a soft mold technique ("soft NIL"). The combination of DLW as a method for rapid prototyping and soft NIL offers a fast track towards large scale fabrication of 3D passive and active optical components applicable to a wide variety of materials. A performance analysis shows that surface-scattering-limited Q-factors of replicated resonators as high as 1×10⁵ at 635 nm can be achieved with this process combination. Lasing in the replicated WGM resonators is demonstrated by the incorporation of laser dyes in the target material. Low lasing thresholds in the order of 15  kW/cm² are obtained under ns-pulsed excitation.