Efficient light amplification in low gain materials due to a photonic band edge effect

One of the possibilities of increasing optical gain of a light emitting source is by embedding it into a photonic crystal (PhC). If the properties of the PhC are tuned so that the emission wavelength of the light source with gain falls close to the photonic band edge of the PhC, then due to low group velocity of the light modes near the band edge caused by many multiple reflections of light on the photonic structure, the stimulated emission can be significantly enhanced. Here, we perform simulation of the photonic band edge effect on the light intensity of spectrally broad source interacting with a diamond PhC with low optical gain. We show that even for the case of low gain, up to 10-fold increase of light intensity output can be obtained for the two-dimensional PhC consisting of only 19 periodic layers of infinitely high diamond rods ordered into a square lattice. Moreover, considering the experimentally feasible structure composed of diamond rods of finite height - PhC slab - we show that the gain enhancement, even if reduced compared to the ideal case of infinite rods, still remains relatively high. For this particular structure, we show that up to 3.5-fold enhancement of light intensity can be achieved. (C) 2012 Optical Society of Americ

Two-dimensional photonic crystal slab with embedded silicon nanocrystals: Efficient photoluminescence extraction:

A two-dimensional photonic crystal (PhC) slab was fabricated from a luminescent planar waveguide, formed by a (800 nm thick) layer of silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) embedded in a polished silica plate. Dimensions of the PhC were designed so that light emitted by SiNCs under excitation with an external UV source can, during its propagation in the layer, interact with the periodicity and be Bragg-diffracted into air. This approach leads to up to 8-fold vertical extraction enhancement of SiNCs luminescence from the PhC slab compared to the bare planar layer. Results of the experiment are supported by the computer simulation. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC

Enhanced photoluminescence extraction efficiency from a diamond photonic crystal via leaky modes

Two-dimensional photonic crystal can be exploited as the top part of a light source in order to increase its extraction efficiency. Here, we report on the room-temperature intrinsic photoluminescence (PL) behavior of a nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) layer with diamond columns prepared on the top and periodically ordered into the lattice with square symmetry. Angle-resolved far-field measurements in the Gamma-X crystal direction of broadband visible PL revealed up to six-fold enhancement of extraction efficiency as compared to a smooth NCD layer. A photonic band diagram above the lightcone derived from these measurements is in agreement with the diagram obtained from transmission measurements and simulation, suggesting that the enhancement is primarily due to light's coupling to leaky modes

Luminescence of free-standing versus matrix-embedded oxide-passivated silicon nanocrystals: The role of matrix-induced strain:

We collect a large number of experimental data from various sources to demonstrate that free-standing (FS) oxide-passivated silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) exhibit considerably blueshifted emission, by 200 meV on average, compared to those prepared as matrix-embedded (ME) ones of the same size. This is suggested to arise from compressive strain, exerted on the nanocrystals by their matrix, which plays an important role in the light-emission process; this strain has been neglected up to now as opposed to the impact of quantum confinement or surface passivation. Our conclusion is also supported by the comparison of low-temperature behavior of photoluminescence of matrix-embedded and free-standing silicon nanocrystals

Time-resolved measurements of optical gain and photoluminescence in silicon nanocrystals

In this paper, we present time-resolved optical gain spectroscopy using a combination of the variable stripe length and the shifting excitation spot techniques under pulsed nanosecond excitation at 355 nm. Optical gain measurements in the temporal detection window of 10 ns width, coincident with the excitation pulse, revealed induced absorption losses, whereas measurements with a different detection gate width and delay in two main photoluminescence components (a fast band at ~430 nm decaying in nanoseconds and a slow band at ~620 nm decaying in microseconds) show a positive optical gain of the order of tens of cm-1

Silicon nanocrystal-based photonic crystal slabs with broadband and efficient directional light emission

Light extraction from a thin planar layer can be increased by introducing a two-dimensional periodic pattern on its surface. This structure, the so-called photonic crystal (PhC) slab, then not only enhances the extraction efficiency of light but can direct the extracted emission into desired angles. Careful design of the structures is important in order to have a spectral overlap of the emission with extraction (leaky) modes. We show that by fabricating PhC slabs with optimized dimensions from silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) active layers, the extraction efficiency of vertical light emission from SiNCs at a particular wavelength can be enhanced similar to 11 times compared to that of uncorrugated SiNCs-rich layer. More importantly, increased light emission can be obtained in a broad spectral range and, simultaneously, the extracted light can stay confined within relatively narrow angle around the normal to the sample plane. We demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that the physical origin of the enhancement is such that light originating from SiNCs first couples to leaky modes of the PhCs and is then efficiently extracted into the surrounding.This work was supported by the GA CR project No. 16-09692Y and by a postdoc support from the ASCR. A.K. acknowledges support from the MSMT project No. LD15003 within the frame of the COST Action MP1403 “Nanoscale Quantum Optics”. J.V. acknowledges support by the Visegrad Group-Japan Joint Research Project on Advanced Materials (MSMT Project No. 8F15001, co-financed by the International Visegrad Fund)