Polarized three-photon-pumped laser in a single MOF microcrystal

TLDR

Higher‑order multiphoton‑pumped polarized lasers are technologically important, yet their in‑vivo imaging applications remain unrealized. We demonstrate the first polarized three‑photon‑pumped microcavity laser in a single MOF crystal using a controllable in‑situ self‑assembly strategy. The method relies on highly oriented dye assembly within the MOF, enabling low‑threshold, high‑quality‑factor three‑photon‑pumped lasing. The resulting 3PP lasing is perfectly polarized, indicating a new pathway for multiphoton‑pumped solid‑state lasers in single MOF microcrystals for optoelectronic and biomedical applications.

Abstract

Abstract Higher order multiphoton-pumped polarized lasers have fundamental technological importance. Although they can be used to in vivo imaging, their application has yet to be realized. Here we show the first polarized three-photon-pumped (3PP) microcavity laser in a single host–guest composite metal–organic framework (MOF) crystal, via a controllable in situ self-assembly strategy. The highly oriented assembly of dye molecules within the MOF provides an opportunity to achieve 3PP lasing with a low lasing threshold and a very high-quality factor on excitation. Furthermore, the 3PP lasing generated from composite MOF is perfectly polarized. These findings may eventually open up a new route to the exploitation of multiphoton-pumped solid-state laser in single MOF microcrystal (or nanocrystal) for future optoelectronic and biomedical applications.