High Efficiency of Exciton-Polariton Lasing in a 2D Multilayer Structure

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Exciton-polaritons are light-matter quasiparticles crucial for advanced optical devices.
• Microcavity enhancement is key to achieving efficient polariton lasing.
• Two-dimensional materials offer novel platforms for quantum and optical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of van der Waals homostructures for polariton laser applications.
• To achieve laser emission with an ultralow threshold using WS₂/hBN heterostructures.
• To characterize the lasing efficiency of the fabricated polariton laser system.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a van der Waals homostructure comprising three WS₂ layers separated by hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layers.
• Integration of the WS₂/hBN homostructure into an optical microcavity.
• Experimental measurement of the threshold power and lasing efficiency for the polariton emission.

Main Results:

• Observation of laser emission from the WS₂-based polariton system.
• Achieved an ultralow threshold power of approximately 59 nW/μm².
• Measured a lasing efficiency of 3.82%.

Conclusions:

• Van der Waals homostructures are effective for creating efficient polariton lasers.
• The ultralow threshold demonstrates the potential for low-power optical devices.
• This work opens avenues for novel optoelectronic applications utilizing 2D material-based polaritons.