Optical cavity characterization in nanowires via self-generated broad-band emission

Broadband white light is of great spectroscopic value and would be a powerful tool for nanoscale spectroscopy, however, generation and direction of white light on this length scale remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate the generation of broadband white light in sub-wavelength diameter Gallium Nitride (GaN) wires by coincident one-and two-photon absorption mediated via defect states. This generation of broadband,. white. light enables single-nanowire interferometric measurements of the nanowires themselves via analysis of the Fabry-Perot fringes that overlay the entirety of the emission spectrum. The quality factor and finesse of individual nanowire cavities were measured and calculated to be 186 +/- 88 and 3.05 +/- 0.6 respectively, averaged over 20 individual wires. This work presents a new, simple approach for the generation and direction of broad band white light at sub-diffraction limit length scales, ideal for translating classical white light spectroscopies to higher spatial resolutions then previously achieved. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America