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Copyright 2004 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2004 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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can contribute to the saturation of ASE intensities along with a well-knownmechanism of the gain medium depletion [61].C. Lasing ExperimentsThe lasing regime in NQDs is possible <strong>by</strong> combining high-density NQDmaterials with optical cavities to provide efficient optical feedback. Severaltypes of cavity have been utilized to demonstrate NQD lasing, including polystyrenemicrospheres [17], glass microcapillary tubes [46,50,62], and distributedfeedback (DFB) resonators [63].In Ref. 62, cylindrical NQD microcavities were fabricated <strong>by</strong> drawingconcentrated hexane solutions of TOPO-capped CdSe NQDs (R = 2.5 nm)into microcapillary tubes (the inner tube diameter was 80 lm). The solventwas then allowed to evaporate. To increase the thickness of the NQD layerdeposited on the inner wall of the tube, the above procedure was repeatedseveral times. Cylindrical NQD microcavities formed in this way (inset inFig. 26a) can support both planar-waveguide-like modes that develop alongthe tube length and whispering gallery (WG) modes developing around theinner circumference of the tube in the regime of total internal reflection. Forthe modes propagating along the tube, one can only achieve the ASE regime(no optical feedback is present), whereas WG modes can support a true lasingaction (microring lasing) [64].Depending on the sample, it is observed that as the pump level isincreased, either microring lasing or ASE along the tube can develop first.This difference is likely due to uncontrolled variations in the optical quality ofthe NQD layer along and around the tube from one sample to another. Forexample, for the data shown in Fig. 26a (sample temperature is 80 K), lightamplification along the tube (the ASE peak at f613 nm) develops before theWG lasing. As the pump level is increased further, periodic oscillations due tolasing into WG modes develop on the top of the broader ASE peak.The data in Fig. 26b, which were taken for a different sample, provide anexample of pure microring lasing. Lasing into a single, sharp WG modeFigure 26 Pump-dependent emission spectra of NQDs solids (sample temperatureis 80 K) incorporated into microcapillary tubes (NQD cylindrical microcavities)demonstrating different emission regimes: (a) ASE along the tube length developsbefore microring lasing; (b) the regime of pure microring lasing (the emission spectraare shown <strong>by</strong> lines and the gain spectrum is shown <strong>by</strong> solid circles); the emissionspectra are taken at progressively higher fluences of 1, 1.4, 1.6, and 2.8 mJ/cm 2 .Insets: (a) schematics of a NDQ microcavity; (b) pump-fluence dependence of theintensity of the 612.0-nm mode demonstrating a sharp transition to the lasing regime.<strong>Copyright</strong> <strong>2004</strong> <strong>by</strong> <strong>Marcel</strong> <strong>Dekker</strong>, <strong>Inc</strong>. <strong>All</strong> <strong>Rights</strong> <strong>Reserved</strong>.

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