Heterogeneous Random Laser with Switching Activity Visualized by Replica Symmetry Breaking Maps

Abstract

In the past decade, complex networks of light emitters are proposed as novel platforms for photonic circuits and lab-on-chip active devices. Lasing networks made by connected multiple gain components and graphs of nanoscale random lasers (RLs) obtained from complex meshes of polymeric nanofibers are successful prototypes. However, in the reported research, mainly collective emission from a whole network of resonators is investigated, and only in a few cases, the emission from single points showing, although homogeneous and broad, spatial emission. In all cases, simultaneous activation of the miniaturized lasers is observed. Here, differently, we realize heterogeneous random lasers made of ribbon-like and highly porous fibers with evident RL action from separated micrometric domains that alternatively switch on and off by tuning the pumping light intensity. We visualize this novel effect by building for the first time replica symmetry breaking (RSB) maps of the emitting fibers with 2 μm spatial resolution. In addition, we calculate the spatial correlations of the laser regions showing clearly an average extension of 50 μm. The observed blinking effect is due to mode interaction along light guiding fibers and opens new avenues in the fabrication of flexible photonic networks with specific and adaptable activity.

arXiv comment22 pages, 7 Figures, ACS Photonics, 2021

References in corpus (15)

• Speckle-free laser imaging
• Experimental evidence of replica symmetry breaking in random lasers
• Random lasers, Lévy statistics and spin glasses: Synergy between photonics and complex systems
• General phase-diagram of multimodal ordered and disordered lasers in closed and open cavities
• Observation of Replica Symmetry Breaking in the 1D Anderson Localization Regime in an Erbium-Doped Random Fiber Laser
• Replica symmetry breaking in specially designed TiO${}_2$ nanoparticles-based dye-colloidal random laser
• The glassy random laser: replica symmetry breaking in the intensity fluctuations of emission spectra
• Modal Coupling of Single Photon Emitters Within Nanofiber Waveguides
• Complex active optical networks as a new laser concept
• Heterogeneous Random Laser with Switching Activity Visualized by Replica Symmetry Breaking Maps
• Diverse regimes of mode intensity correlation in nanofiber random lasers through nanoparticle doping
• Transition from non-resonant to resonant random lasers by the geometrical confinement of disorder
• The LANER: optical networks as complex lasers
• Nanoparticle-doped electrospun fiber random lasers with spatially extended light modes
• Stacked electrospun polymer nanofiber heterostructures with tailored stimulated emission

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Heterogeneous Random Laser with Switching Activity Visualized by Replica Symmetry Breaking Maps
• Tuneable optical gain and broadband lasing driven in electrospun polymer fibers by high dye concentration
• Observation of Replica Symmetry Breaking in Filamentation and Multifilamentation
• Electromagnetic Scattering by Networks of High-Permittivity Thin Wires