Optical Resonator-Enhanced Random Lasing using Atomically Thin Aluminium-based Multicomponent Quasicrystals

Abstract

Photon trapping inside a gain medium using a dispersed two-dimensional (2D) passive scatterer is an impetus to obtain incoherent random lasing (ic-RL) emission due to non-resonant feedback. An optical resonator (OR) can be used to influence such lasing thresholds. Non-noble nanomaterials-based quasicrystals (QCs) are an intriguing research prospect due to their potential surface plasmon resonance (SPR) property and ability to be exfoliated into 2D. In this work, an aluminium-based multicomponent alloy (Al70Co10Fe5Ni10Cu5) has been synthesized via the arc melting method. Thereafter, ultrasonication-based liquid phase exfoliation was used to obtain 2D quasicrystals (2D-QCs). The SPR-induced light scattering properties of synthesized 2D-QCs were exploited to obtain ic-RL from DCM dye gain medium under 532 nm, 10 ns, 10 Hz pulsed laser pumping. The plasmonic field enhancement property of 2D-QCs which enables the gain medium to absorb photons outside its peak absorption band has been demonstrated. The transition from ic-RL to OR-enhanced ic-RL and vice versa in the presence of resonator walls has been achieved by tweaking the device architecture. In this way, the ability of 2D-QCs to be potential passive scatterers and the controllability of lasing thresholds in the presence of an OR has been demonstrated. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd