Continuous-wave upconversion lasing with a sub-10 W cm−2 threshold enabled by atomic disorder in the host matrix

Byeong-Seok Moon, Tae Kyung Lee, Woo Cheol Jeon, Sang Kyu Kwak, Young-Jin Kim () and Dong-Hwan Kim ()
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Byeong-Seok Moon: Sungkyunkwan University
Tae Kyung Lee: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)
Woo Cheol Jeon: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)
Sang Kyu Kwak: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)
Young-Jin Kim: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Dong-Hwan Kim: Sungkyunkwan University

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Microscale lasers efficiently deliver coherent photons into small volumes for intracellular biosensors and all-photonic microprocessors. Such technologies have given rise to a compelling pursuit of ever-smaller and ever-more-efficient microlasers. Upconversion microlasers have great potential owing to their large anti-Stokes shifts but have lagged behind other microlasers due to their high pump power requirement for population inversion of multiphoton-excited states. Here, we demonstrate continuous-wave upconversion lasing at an ultralow lasing threshold (4.7 W cm−2) by adopting monolithic whispering-gallery-mode microspheres synthesized by laser-induced liquefaction of upconversion nanoparticles and subsequent rapid quenching (“liquid-quenching”). Liquid-quenching completely integrates upconversion nanoparticles to provide high pump-to-gain interaction with low intracavity losses for efficient lasing. Atomic-scale disorder in the liquid-quenched host matrix suppresses phonon-assisted energy back transfer to achieve efficient population inversion. Narrow laser lines were spectrally tuned by up to 3.56 nm by injection pump power and operation temperature adjustments. Our low-threshold, wavelength-tunable, and continuous-wave upconversion microlaser with a narrow linewidth represents the anti-Stokes-shift microlaser that is competitive against state-of-the-art Stokes-shift microlasers, which paves the way for high-resolution atomic spectroscopy, biomedical quantitative phase imaging, and high-speed optical communication via wavelength-division-multiplexing.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24751-z

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