Distributed Feedback Lasers Based on MAPbBr₃

TLDR

Hybrid perovskite semiconductors are promising low‑cost, high‑performance laser gain media, and distributed‑feedback resonators are essential for achieving low laser thresholds toward the first electrically operated perovskite laser diode. The study presents the first DFB lasers based on MAPbBr₃ thin films with an imprinted linear photonic grating. High‑Q Bragg gratings with 300‑nm periodicity were fabricated by thermal nanoimprinting at 100 °C into MAPbBr₃ thin films, creating the linear photonic grating. Imprinting flattened the rough perovskite films into large‑crystal, 0.6‑nm‑rough surfaces, reducing scattering and enabling optically pumped DFB lasing with a record low threshold of 3.4 µJ cm⁻², and the authors anticipate these results will impact perovskite optoelectronics beyond lasers.

Abstract

Abstract Hybrid perovskite semiconductors hold great promise as low‐cost, yet high performance gain media for lasers. Distributed feedback (DFB) resonator structures are a key to unlock low laser threshold levels, which are essential on the way to the first electrically operated perovskite laser diode. Here, the first DFB lasers based on methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr 3 ) thin films, with a linear photonic grating imprinted into the MAPbBr 3 active layers is presented. High‐Q Bragg resonator gratings with a periodicity of 300 nm are directly patterned by thermal nanoimprinting into thin films of MAPbBr 3 at a temperature as low as 100 °C. A notable effect of the imprinting process is a substantial flattening of the initially very rough polycrystalline perovskite layers to layers consisting of large crystals on the order of tens of microns with a surface roughness of 0.6 nm. The smooth surface affords a significantly lowered threshold for the onset of amplified spontaneous emission due to reduced scattering. In optically pumped DFB laser structures, very low lasing thresholds of 3.4 µJ cm −2 are achieved. It is foreseen that these results will influence research on perovskite‐based optoelectronic devices beyond lasers, e.g., light emitting diodes and solar cells.