Single-Mode Lasing from a Single 7 nm Thick Monolayer of Colloidal Quantum Wells in a Monolithic Microcavity

In this work, the first account of monolithically-fabricated vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) of densely-packed, orientation-controlled, atomically flat colloidal quantum wells (CQWs) using a self-assembly method and demonstrate single-mode lasing from a record thin colloidal gain medium with a film thickness of 7 nm under femtosecond optical excitation is reported. Specially engineered CQWs are used to demonstrate these hybrid CQW-VCSELs consisting of only a few layers to a single monolayer of CQWs and are achieved the lasing from these thin gain media by thoroughly modeling and implementing a vertical cavity consisting of distributed Bragg reflectors with an additional dielectric layer for mode tuning. Accurate spectral and spatial alignment of the cavity mode with the CQW films is secured with the help of full electromagnetic computations. While overcoming the long-pending problem of limited electrical conductivity in thicker colloidal films, such ultrathin colloidal gain media can be helpful to enable fully electrically-driven colloidal lasers.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the fabrication of vertically-cavity surface emitting lasers using a self-assembly method and achieving single-mode lasing from thin colloidal gain media under femtosecond optical excitation. Through specially engineered CQWs and vertical cavity modeling, the accurate spectral and spatial alignment of the cavity mode with the CQW films was secured, overcoming the limited electrical conductivity in thicker colloidal films.