Philipp Brenner

Highly stable solution processed metal-halide perovskite lasers on nanoimprinted distributed feedback structures

We report on the performance and stability of distributed feedback lasers based on the solution-processed methylammonium lead iodide perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3). The CH3NH3PbI3 layers are processed via solution-casting in ambient atmosphere onto nanoimprinted second order Bragg gratings. This way, we achieve highly polarized surface-emitted lasing at room temperature with a linewidth of less than 0.2 nm and a laser threshold of 120 kW/cm2. The lasing is stable; no change in the laser emission within 15 h of pulsed excitation with a repetition rate of 1 kHz (corresponding to >5 × 107 pulses) is observed, exceeding the stability achieved for solution processed organic semiconductor lasers. Furthermore, adjustment of the grating period allowed the lasing wavelength to be varied over the entire bandwidth of the amplified spontaneous emission (between 781 and 794 nm). The fabrication process of nanoimprinting followed by solution-casting of the gain material demonstrates that stable CH3NH3PbI3 lasers are compatible with scalable production technologies and offers a route towards electrically pumped diode architectures.

Inkjet-printed perovskite distributed feedback lasers

We report on digitally printed distributed feedback lasers on flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates based on methylammonium lead iodide perovskite gain material. The perovskite lasers are printed with a digital drop-on-demand inkjet printer, providing full freedom in the shape and design of the gain layer. We show that adjusting the perovskite ink increases the potential processing window and decreases the surface roughness of the active layer to less than 7 nm, which is essential for low lasing thresholds. Prototype inkjet-printed perovskite lasers processed on top of nanopatterned rigid as well as flexible substrates are demonstrated. Optimized perovskite gain layers printed on PET substrates demonstrated lasing and showed a linewidth of 0.4 nm and a lasing threshold of 270 kW/cm2. In addition, printing of a distinct shape shows a high level of uniformity, demonstrated by a low spatial resolved full width half maximum variation over the whole printing area. These results reveal the possibilities of digital printed perovskite layers towards large-scale and low-cost laser applications of arbitrary shape.

Triple cation mixed-halide perovskites for tunable lasers

Metal halide perovskites are recently attracting strong attention due to their potential in solar cells, LEDs, and lasers. Here, we demonstrate the broad spectral tuning of the optical gain characteristics of triple cation (containing methylammonium, formamidinium and cesium) mixed-halide perovskite thin films. We explicitly study the interrelation between amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) thresholds, the operational stability of the gain, and the material composition. The incorporation of cesium and a deficiency of lead in the precursor solutions is found to be crucial for low ASE thresholds and the improved stability of mixed-halide perovskites. We tune the photoluminescence in mixed-halide perovskites between peak wavelengths of 510 and 790 nm by exchanging the halide from iodide to bromide and chloride in small steps of 10%, while preserving the narrowband emission below a linewidth of 130 meV for all mixtures. The optical gain under ns-excitation can be tuned over a significant portion of this spectral window; we observe ASE emission in regions between 545 to 555 nm and 680 to 810 nm. This is a significant step towards perovskite lasers operating through a broad portion of the visible to near infrared spectrum.

High Quality 3D Photonics using Nano Imprint Lithography of Fast Sol-gel Materials

A method for the realization of low-loss integrated optical components is proposed and demonstrated. This approach is simple, fast, inexpensive, scalable for mass production, and compatible with both 2D and 3D geometries. The process is based on a novel dual-step soft nano imprint lithography process for producing devices with smooth surfaces, combined with fast sol-gel technology providing highly transparent materials. As a concrete example, this approach is demonstrated on a micro ring resonator made by direct laser writing (DLW) to achieve a quality factor improvement from one hundred thousand to more than 3 million. To the best of our knowledge this also sets a Q-factor record for UV-curable integrated micro-ring resonators. The process supports the integration of many types of materials such as light-emitting, electro-optic, piezo-electric, and can be readily applied to a wide variety of devices such as waveguides, lenses, diffractive elements and more.

Comparing roll-to-roll and laser-assisted hot embossing for micro- and nanofabrication

We demonstrate the suitability of two cost efficient technologies, namely roll-to-roll hot embossing and laser-assisted hot embossing, to fabricate arrays of structures in the microscale down to the sub-100 nm range. We therefore employ polymers with a relatively moderate glass transition temperature, e.g., cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and polystyrene (PS). We compare the two replication processes regarding their precision and cost using different 1D and 2D nanostructure gratings and microfluidic channels. All nickel shims used for the replication are fabricated in combination of electron beam or UV lithography and nickel electroforming. The replicated structures are used in different applications. The nanopillar arrays are coated with gold and integrated in the hot embossed microfluidic channels for lab-on-a-chip (LoC) surface-enhanced Raman analysis. We evaluate the as-fabricated 2D nanopillar arrays for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using solutions of rhodamine 6G as exemplary analytes. The influence of the geometrical parameters like diameter and pitch of the polymer structures as well as the influence of the gold layer thickness are discussed. 1D-gratings will be used as resonators for organic distributed feedback (DFB) lasers. Both elements, the SERS chips and the organic DFB lasers as tunable excitation source can be combined in the future to form one Raman-on-Chip optofluidic platform for sensitive detection of low-concentrated analytes in water.

Scalable and low cost fabrication methods for wavelength tunable solution processed perovskite distributed feedback lasers

There is a growing interest in the use of metal halide perovskites with different compositions as highly efficient light emitters among the whole visible spectral region [1]. Several groups have observed amplified spontaneous (ASE) emission in thin perovskite films. The gain and threshold values for ASE are very promising, motivating the current effort to develop practical devices that lase.

Three dimensional whispering gallery mode resonators and microlasers made by a combination of direct laser writing and soft nanoimprint lithography

Microresonators and lasers on the micro- and nanoscale are potential candidates for spectroscopic applications and sensing elements. The optical properties of these devices enable highly sensitive elements in biophotonics. They can be integrated in lab-on-chip platforms and act as biosensors for label-free detection of molecules in point-of-care diagnosis. One of the most promising resonators type is the whispering gallery mode resonator due to the high quality factors that have been shown to even enable single molecule detection [1].

Soft lithography of 3D polymeric lasers and cavities

We demonstrate the realization of 3D photonic lasers and cavities in polymeric materials using soft lithography and characterize them experimentally. High-Q cavities and low-threshold lasers based on SU-8 and Solgel are demonstrated.