corner
corner
APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. Lett. » Volume 82 » Issue 11
< Previous Article | Next Article >

Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 2278–2281 (1999)

Random Laser Action in Semiconductor Powder

Download: PDF (106 kB) Buy this article Export: BibTeX or EndNote (RIS)

H. Cao and Y. G. Zhao*
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Materials Research Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3112

S. T. Ho
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Materials Research Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3118

E. W. Seelig, Q. H. Wang, and R. P. H. Chang
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Research Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3116

Received 9 September 1998; revised 16 December 1998; published in the issue dated 15 March 1999

We report the first observation of random laser action with coherent feedback in semiconductor powder. Since the scattering mean free path is less than the emission wavelength, recurrent light scattering arises and provides coherent feedback for lasing. Discrete lasing modes have been observed above the threshold. The dependence of the lasing threshold intensity on the excitation volume agrees with the random laser theory. Laser emission from the powder could be observed in all directions. This observation also provides direct evidence for the existence of recurrent scattering of light.

© 1999 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.2278
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.2278
PACS:
42.55.Px, 42.25.Fx, 71.55.Jv

*On leave from Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China 100871.

 
< Previous Article | Next Article >