Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • Lasing threshold reduced from 15.3 to 8.6 μJ/cm² (44% decrease) under optical-electrical co-excitation at 2.98 kA/cm², enabling lower power consumption for integrated photonic devices. • • AuNPs decoration enables current injection density of 2.98 kA/cm², a critical step toward electrical pumping, overcoming previous limitations in carrier injection efficiency. • • AuNPs accelerate hot-carrier cooling, reducing non-radiative recombination losses and Joule heating, as evidenced by stable operation under ambient conditions and resistance to aging and humidity. • • Progressive reduction of lasing threshold with increasing electrical assist fraction demonstrates synergistic optical-electrical control, offering tunable performance for practical laser diodes.
Abstract
Electrically pumped lasers with reduced physical dimensions are critical for future optical information processing, storage, and photonic integrated circuits. However, electrical injection in perovskite lasers faces challenges including material instability, non-radiative losses, and Joule heating. Here, we demonstrate an ultralow-threshold perovskite microlaser decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), enabling simultaneous optical pumping and current injection at ambient temperature. The lasing threshold is reduced to 8.6 μJ/cm², approximately 44% lower than that of pristine devices (15.3 μJ/cm²). The AuNPs, with optimized size, enhance both lasing performance and electrical properties, achieving a current injection density of 2.98 kA/cm². AuNPs accelerate hot-carrier cooling, reducing non-radiative recombination and mitigating Joule heating. The threshold decreases progressively with increasing electrical assist fraction. Stability tests confirm excellent resistance to aging and humidity, with stable lasing output under co-excitation in ambient air. This work underscores the feasibility of electrically driven perovskite microlasers, offering a pathway toward electrically pumped microlaser diodes.
1. Introduction
Electrically pumped perovskite lasers have long been hindered by material instability under thermal stress, slow hot-carrier cooling, and surface defect-induced non-radiative losses, leading to high thresholds and poor device longevity. Conventional optical pumping, while effective in laboratory settings, fails to meet the demands of compact integrated photonics where electrical injection is mandatory. The challenge lies in achieving high carrier injection efficiency and population inversion without degrading the perovskite gain medium.
This study addresses these bottlenecks by decorating monocrystalline CsPbBr₃ microplate lasers with size-optimized Au nanoparticles. The AuNPs serve dual functions: plasmonic enhancement of optical gain and facilitation of electrical injection via improved carrier transport. By simultaneously applying optical pulses and current injection, the team demonstrates a 44% reduction in lasing threshold, reaching 8.6 μJ/cm² at a current density of 2.98 kA/cm². This co-pumping strategy not only mitigates Joule heating but also accelerates hot-carrier cooling, effectively suppressing non-radiative losses. The results provide a viable route toward electrically driven perovskite microlasers, overcoming key obstacles in device integration and stability.
Bingwang Yang, Maosheng Liu, Tong Xu, Yun Wei, Shulin Sha, Peng Wan, Caixia Kan, Daning Shi, Mingming Jiang (2026). Surface Modification of Metal Nanostructures Toward Electrically Pumped Perovskite Microlasers. SCIENCE CHINA Materials. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-025-3629-3
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the mechanism by which AuNPs reduce the lasing threshold in CsPbBr₃ microlasers?
AuNPs enhance local electric fields via plasmonic effects, increasing the optical gain and spontaneous emission rate. Additionally, they accelerate hot-carrier cooling, reducing the population of high-energy carriers that contribute to non-radiative recombination. This dual effect lowers the threshold from 15.3 to 8.6 μJ/cm² under co-excitation.
How does the electrical assist fraction affect the lasing threshold, and what is the optimal current density?
The lasing threshold decreases progressively with increasing electrical assist fraction. The optimal current density is 2.98 kA/cm², at which the threshold is minimized. Beyond this, Joule heating may offset benefits, but the AuNPs mitigate thermal effects, allowing stable operation.
What are the long-term stability and degradation characteristics of the AuNPs@CsPbBr₃ device under ambient conditions?
Stability tests show excellent resistance to aging and humidity, with stable lasing output under optical-electrical co-excitation in ambient air. The AuNPs effectively mitigate severe thermal effects and non-radiative recombination, enabling the device to withstand higher current densities without significant degradation.
How does the performance of this co-pumping approach compare to purely optical pumping in terms of threshold and output?
Under purely optical pumping, the threshold is 15.3 μJ/cm². With electrical assist at 2.98 kA/cm², the threshold drops to 8.6 μJ/cm², a 44% reduction. This demonstrates that electrical injection not only maintains but enhances lasing efficiency, making it a viable step toward fully electrically pumped devices.
What are the scalability and integration challenges for this technology in practical photonic circuits?
The use of solution-processed perovskite microplates and AuNPs offers potential for low-cost fabrication. However, scaling to wafer-level integration requires precise control of AuNP size and distribution, as well as addressing long-term operational stability under continuous electrical pumping. The demonstrated stability and low threshold are encouraging, but further engineering is needed for commercial deployment.
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