Taming the randomness of random lasers with reconfigurable active particle assemblies

利用可重构的活性粒子组件来驯服随机激光器的随机性

• 批准号: 2303189
• 负责人: Zhiwen Liu
• 金额: $ 45万
• 依托单位: Pennsylvania State Univ University Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2303189&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Taming; randomness; random; lasers; reconfigurable

This proposed research program aims to develop a novel random laser system with enhanced lasing performance using reconfigurable particle assemblies. A random laser relies on light scattering in an amplifying optical medium to generate lasing emission. Compared to traditional lasers, the random laser has unique features such as low cost in device fabrication and low spatial coherence for speckle-free imaging. However, currently the random laser is still hindered by limited means to “tame the randomness” in its lasing properties (e.g., uncontrolled emission direction, polarization, modal profile etc.), limiting its impact on photonic applications. The goal of the proposed research is to overcome these limitations by developing a reconfigurable random lasing platform with dynamically tunable gain and scattering landscapes for controlling the lasing characteristics, such as threshold, output power, emission directionality and polarization. The proposed method leverages reconfigurable, electric field directed particle assembly to control particle locations and orientations. Spatiotemporal programming of the electric field (e.g., tuning the field gradient, shape, and frequency) coupled with the versatile choice of particle functionalities (e.g., gain, scattering, anisotropy), provides unprecedented capability to control the collective lasing response of particle populations. Three Research Objectives are proposed: (1) Understand and control random lasing in assemblies of scattering particles suspended in dye solution, including control of emission directionality and polarization; (2) Understand and control random lasing in assemblies where both gain and scattering are provided by particles, including one type of particles serving both roles (e.g., ZnO) or different particles combined to serve as gain/scattering and scattering-only components (e.g., ZnO+TiO2); (3) Demonstrate feedback controlled, smart random lasing that can learn to achieve desired lasing properties. The research program will provide cross-disciplinary, team-based training for student researchers to help prepare them as future leaders. It will be integrated with a sustainability-focused Green Lab effort and education activities aimed at training future scientists and engineers. The education plan will support increased diversities and provide opportunities for underrepresented groups as well as K-12 students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该研究计划旨在开发一种新型随机激光系统，使用可重构粒子组件来增强激光性能，随机激光依靠放大光学介质中的光散射来产生激光发射，与传统激光相比，随机激光具有以下独特功能。然而，目前随机激光仍然受到限制其激光特性“驯服随机性”的方法的阻碍（例如，不受控制的发射方向、偏振、模态轮廓等），限制了其对光子应用的影响。本研究的目标是通过开发具有动态可调增益和散射景观的可重构随机激光平台来控制激光特性，从而克服这些限制。所提出的方法利用可重构的电场定向粒子组装来控制电场的时空编程。 （例如，调整场梯度、形状和频率）加上粒子功能的多种选择（例如增益、散射、各向异性），提供了前所未有的控制粒子群集体激光响应的能力。提出了三个研究目标： (1) 了解和控制悬浮在染料溶液中的散射颗粒组件中的随机激光发射，包括发射方向性和偏振的控制； (2) 了解和控制两者增益的组件中的随机激光发射；散射由粒子提供，包括具有两种作用的一种粒子（例如 ZnO）或组合起来用作增益/散射和仅散射成分的不同粒子（例如，ZnO+TiO2），可以学习该研究项目将为学生研究人员提供跨学科、基于团队的培训，帮助他们成为未来的领导者。该项目将与注重可持续发展的绿色实验室相结合。旨在培训未来科学家和工程师的努力和教育活动。该教育计划将支持增加多样性，并为代表性不足的群体以及 K-12 学生提供机会。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。