Random lasing from dye-gold nanoparticles in polymer films: Enhanced gain at the surface-plasmon-resonance wavelength

Abstract

The authors report on gold nanoparticle enhancement of the gain in dyes/nanoparticles/polymer film for random lasers. Importantly, they demonstrate a lower threshold for lasing and a stronger output intensity, which depend on the nanoparticle (NP) size. By calculating the “NP scattering resonance” using Mie theory and the measured surface-plasmon resonance, we can qualitatively explain the results, suggesting that the random lasing properties are dominated by an enhanced photon scattering mechanism induced by the surface plasmons.