Superradiant lasing from <i>J</i>-aggregated molecules adsorbed onto colloidal silver

Abstract

The picosecond time-resolved emission spectrum of the cyanine dye 1,1′-diethyl-3,3′bis-(3-sulfopropyl)-5,5′,6,6′-tetrachlorobenzimidazolocarbocyanine (also known as BIC) adsorbed onto colloidal silver was examined as a function of laser pulse energy at room temperature. BIC is found to aggregate on colloidal silver, and the number of coherently responding molecules involved in the one-exciton state (i.e., the coherence length) was estimated to involve 8–9 molecules. Lasing at a remarkably low incident pulse energy threshold was found for this system and explained in terms of a mechanism involving superradiant states created in coherently coupled adsorbed molecules that emit photons which stimulate emission from other spatially distributed superradiant states.