Ultra-compact topological photonic crystal rainbow nanolasers operating in the 1550 nm telecom band with wavelength-scale mode volumes

Abstract

Density-integrated, multi-wavelength nanoscale lasers with ultra-low power consumption and ultra-compact footprints are essential for energy-efficient, fast and high-throughput data processing. Currently, on-chip multi-wavelength lasers predominantly rely on arrays of discrete large-scale conventional semiconductor lasers that are susceptible to the fabrication imperfections. Topological rainbow nanolasers, which spatially confine and emit specific topologically protected light frequencies, offer a prospective approach for achieving ultra-compact integrated multi-wavelength light sources with enhanced robustness against perturbations and defects. However, it remains a significant challenge to achieve highly localized topological rainbow trapping in nanocavities for laser emission with both high quality factors and ultra-small mode volumes. Here, we experimentally report ultra-compact topological photonic crystal rainbow nanolasers operating in the 1550 nm telecom band. Specifically, we present rainbow-like emission with uniform wavelength spacing and wavelength-scale mode volume $\sim 0.7 \left(\fracλ{n}\right)^3$ in a one-dimensional topological rainbow nanolaser, exhibiting robust lasing operation across a wide temperature range and a spectral tuning capability of approximately 70 nm. Additionally, we demonstrate an ultra-compact two-dimensional topological rainbow nanolaser in an exceptionally compact footprint of nearly 0.002 $\text{mm}^2$, featuring a broad rainbow spectra with 64 continuously tuned lasing peaks. Our work provides a promising method for realizing robust and nanoscale multi-wavelength tunable laser sources, paving the way for numerous potential applications in ultra-compact photonic chips.