Flexible ultraviolet random lasers based on nanoparticles

The design, fabrication and characterization of UV random lasers on plastic substrates by utilizing ZnO thin films and nanoparticles, are discussed. The high-crystal-quality Zn) films were successfully deposited at room temperature by the filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) technique. In2O 3 nanoparticles were also used in order to verify the role of the particles in the random laser mechanism. It was observed that nanoparticles act as scattering centers and high-quality ZnO films deposited at low temperature serves as an optical gain medium in this design. It was also found that, by optimizing the density and thickness of the nanoparticle layer, coherent random laser action can be obtained. This approach provides an alternative way to realize inorganic semiconductor flexible lasers in the ultraviolet region, which can have significant implications for the development of a new class of electrically pumped laser diodes.