As new devices and technologies move towards miniaturisation, nanoscale lasers are becoming more and more important. Miniaturisation allows more devices of differing functionalities to be integrated together to perform more tasks simultaneously and also reducing power consumption. Nanowire lasers can be used for integrated on-chip photonic devices for a myriad of applications such as optical signal processing for mobile/data communications and single photon sources for secure communication. They are also excellent candidates for ultra-sensitive optical sensors: for example in-vitro/in-vivo medical diagnostic at the single cell level, sensing of biological/chemical toxins at the femto-molar volume, gas sensing on the part per trillion level, and simultaneous sensing of multiple bio-molecules.

Although optically pumped nanowires lasers have been reported, little progress has since been made toward electrically injected nanowire lasers. Electrically operated nanowire lasers will provide the translational step to bring research outcomes from laboratories to practical applications in our daily lives.

The aims of project are to:

• investigate and optimise the doping level and configuration in axial and core-shell nanowires
• investigate the type of structures and geometries most suitable for electrical contacts
• compare the performance of horizontally-lying and vertically standing nanowire lasers
• develop advanced designs and concepts such as mode selection and coupling to photonic crystal cavities.

Physics, Material Science, Engineering