Nanowire Lasers

Abstract

We review principles and trends in the use of

semiconductor nanowires as gain media for stimulated

emission and lasing. Semiconductor nanowires have recently

been widely studied for use in integrated optoelectronic

devices, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs),

solar cells, and transistors. Intensive research has also

been conducted in the use of nanowires for subwavelength

laser systems that take advantage of their quasione-

dimensional (1D) nature, flexibility in material choice

and combination, and intrinsic optoelectronic properties.

First, we provide an overview on using quasi-1D nanowire

systems to realize subwavelength lasers with efficient, directional,

and low-threshold emission. We then describe

the state of the art for nanowire lasers in terms of materials,

geometry, andwavelength tunability.Next,we present

the basics of lasing in semiconductor nanowires, define

the key parameters for stimulated emission, and introduce

the properties of nanowires. We then review advanced

nanowire laser designs from the literature. Finally,

we present interesting perspectives for low-threshold

nanoscale light sources and optical interconnects. We intend

to illustrate the potential of nanolasers inmany applications,

such as nanophotonic devices that integrate electronics

and photonics for next-generation optoelectronic

devices. For instance, these building blocks for nanoscale

photonics can be used for data storage and biomedical

applications when coupled to on-chip characterization

tools. These nanoscale monochromatic laser light sources

promise breakthroughs in nanophotonics, as they can operate

at room temperature, can potentially be electrically

driven, and can yield a better understanding of intrinsic

nanomaterial properties and surface-state effects in lowdimensional

semiconductor systems.