Lasing threshold of thresholdless and non-thresholdless metal-semiconductor nanolasers

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Metal-semiconductor nanolasers offer unique properties like ultra-small mode volume and fast modulation.
• Identifying the precise lasing threshold and coherence onset in these devices remains challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically investigate the second-order coherence properties of metal-semiconductor nanolasers.
• To establish a clear definition for the lasing threshold based on coherence.
• To derive a universal expression for threshold pump power.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of second-order coherence properties at varying pump rates.
• Systematic study of metal-semiconductor nanolasers.

Main Results:

• A clear definition of the lasing threshold was established using coherence measurements.
• A simple, applicable expression for threshold pump current (or optical pump power) was derived.
• The method is applicable to both thresholdless and non-thresholdless nanolasers.

Conclusions:

• Coherence properties provide a reliable method for determining the lasing threshold in nanolasers.
• The derived expression simplifies threshold determination across different nanolaser designs.
• This work facilitates the practical application and understanding of metal-semiconductor nanolasers.