Van Duong Ta

Stimulated Emission and Lasing from CdSe/CdS/ZnS Core‐Multi‐Shell Quantum Dots by Simultaneous Three‐Photon Absorption

Three-photon pumped stimulated emission and coherent random lasing from colloidal CdSe/CdS/ZnS core-multishell quantum dots are achieved for the first time. These results can offer new possibilities in biology and photonics, as well as at their intersection of biophotonics.

Blue liquid lasers from solution of CdZnS/ZnS ternary alloy quantum dots with quasi-continuous pumping

A blue (ca. 440 nm) liquid laser with an ultra-low threshold through which quasi-continuous wave pumping is accessible is achieved by engineering unconventional ternary CdZnS/ZnS alloyed-core/shell QDs. Such an achievement is enabled by exploiting the novel gain media with minimal defects, suppressed Auger recombination, and large gain cross-section in combination with high-quality-factor whispering gallery mode resonators.

Tuning Whispering Gallery Mode Lasing from Self-Assembled Polymer Droplets

Optical microcavities are important for both fundamental studies of light-matter interaction and applications such as microlasers, optical switches and filters etc... Tunable microresonators, in which resonant modes can be manipulated, are especially fascinating. Here we demonstrate a unique approach to mechanically tuning microresonators formed by polymer droplets with varying sizes. The droplets are self-assembly inside an elastic medium. By incorporating different dye molecules into the droplets, optically pumped lasing with selective wavelengths in a range of about 100 nm are achieved. Lasing action is ascribed to whispering gallery modes, verified by rigorous characterizations. Single longitudinal mode lasing is obtained when the droplet diameter is reduced to about 14 μm. Tuning lasing modes are clearly demonstrated by mechanical deformation. Our finding provides an excellent platform for exploring flexible and tunable microlasers for plastic optoelectronic devices.

Exciton Localization and Optical Properties Improvement in Nanocrystal-Embedded ZnO Core–Shell Nanowires

We present a comparative investigation of the morphological, structural, and optical properties of vertically aligned ZnO nanowires (NWs) before and after high energy argon ion (Ar(+)) milling. It is found that the outer regions of the as-grown sample change from crystalline to amorphous, and ZnO core-shell NWs with ZnO nanocrystals embedded are formed after Ar(+) milling. Optical properties of the ZnO NWs have been investigated systematically through power and temperature dependent photoluminescence measurements, and the phenomenon of exciton localization as well as the relevant favorable photoluminescence characteristics is elucidated. Interestingly, under high density optical pumping at room temperature, coherent random lasing action is observed, which is ascribed to exciton localization and strong scattering. Our results on the unique optical properties of localized exciton in ZnO core-shell nanostructures shed light on developing stable and high-efficiency excitonic optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes and lasers.

Single Mode Lasing from Hybrid Hemispherical Microresonators

Enormous attention has been paid to optical microresonators which hold a great promise for microlasers as well as fundamental studies in cavity quantum electrodynamics. Here we demonstrate a three-dimensional (3D) hybrid microresonator combining self-assembled hemispherical structure with a planar reflector. By incorporating dye molecules into the hemisphere, optically pumped lasing phenomenon is observed at room temperature. We have studied the lasing behaviors with different cavity sizes, and particularly single longitudinal mode lasing from hemispheres with diameter ∼15 μm is achieved. Detailed characterizations indicate that the lasing modes shift under varying pump densities, which can be well-explained by frequency shift and mode hopping. This work provides a versatile approach for 3D confined microresonators and opens an opportunity to realize tunable single mode microlasers.

Multicolor Hybrid Upconversion Nanoparticles and Their Improved Performance as Luminescence Temperature Sensors Due to Energy Transfer

By combining upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) with rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye molecules, multicolor emission based on energy transfer is achieved. The complexes can be dissolved in epoxy resin, and self-assembled hemispherical microstructures are fabricated through a hydrophobic effect. A luminescence temperature sensor takes advantage of the high temperature sensitivity of the complexes due to energy transfer.

Self‐Assembled Flexible Microlasers

Hemispherical microresonators with tunable sizes are obtained based on the hydrophobic effect on distributed Bragg reflectors. Under optical excitation, whispering gallery mode lasing is observed from the dye-doped microresonators at room temperature. The results indicate the potential application of the flexible microresonators in photonic integrated circuits.

Application of self-assembled hemispherical microlasers as gas sensors

Dye-doped hemispherical resonators are self-assembled on a distributed Bragg reflector based on hydrophobic effect. The size of hemispheres can be well-controlled with diameters ranging from 5 to 150 μm. Upon optical pumping, whispering gallery mode laser emission with transverse magnetic polarization is observed from the hemispheres. Application of the microlasers as refractive index gas sensors has been demonstrated by detecting the spectrum shift of the lasing mode, and the sensitivity higher than 130 nm/RIU is achieved. Our approach provides an effective technique to obtain high quality microlasers and opens an opportunity to employ the cost effective microlasers as high sensitive sensors.

Wide-range coupling between surface plasmon polariton and cylindrical dielectric waveguide mode

A modified hybrid waveguide with a wide-range coupling and long propagation has been proposed and the coupled mode theory has been applied to study the hybrid waveguide systematically. Two structures are comparatively discussed, namely, a dielectric wire and a circular capillary tube, which are buried in a polymer matrix and separated from the silver substrate by a gap. The simulated results indicate that the circular capillary tube demonstrates a stronger coupling between the surface plasmon polariton and the waveguide mode compared to the solid dielectric wire. Furthermore, the electric field is highly confined in the gap area and can propagate several hundred micrometers.

Robust Whispering-Gallery-Mode Microbubble Lasers from Colloidal Quantum Dots

Microlasers hold great promise for the development of photonics and optoelectronics. Among the discovered optical gain materials, colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have been recognized as the most appealing candidate due to the facile emission tunability and solution processability. However, to date, it is still challenging to develop CQD-based microlasers with low cost yet high performance. Moreover, the poor long-term stability of CQDs remains to be the most critical issue, which may block their laser aspirations. Herein, we developed a unique but generic approach to forming a novel type of a whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) microbubble laser from the hybrid CQD/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites. The formation mechanism of the microbubbles was unraveled by recording the drying process of the nanocomposite droplets. Interestingly, these microbubbles naturally serve as the high-quality WGM laser resonators. By simply changing the CQDs, the lasing emission can be tuned across the whole visible spectral range. Importantly, these microbubble lasers exhibit unprecedented long-term stability (over one year), sufficient for practical applications. As a proof-of-concept, the potential of water vapor sensing was demonstrated. Our results represent a significant advance in microlasers based on the advantageous CQDs and may offer new possibilities for photonics and optoelectronics.