Single‐Mode Lasing by Selective Mode Structure Breaking

Abstract

Single‐mode lasers are highly desirable for applications in optical communication, quantum information, and photonic computing, but their realization is challenging due to the competition of multiple closely spaced resonant modes in microcavities. This paper proposes a novel approach, termed mode structure breaking, to achieve high‐performance single‐mode lasing in an individual laser cavity. By introducing selective spatial structure defects, the mode structure of competing modes can be broken, enabling single‐mode selection without huge losses. As proof of concept, femtosecond (fs)‐laser ablation is experimentally employed to introduce external angle defects on a microdisk cavity, effectively eliminating mismatched competing modes and thus achieving single‐mode lasing output. The lasing characteristics are further optimized by incorporating a punched hole to suppress remaining high‐order lasing modes. Notably, the fabricated perovskite laser sources, which are called mode‐structure‐breaking lasers, demonstrate excellent single‐mode lasing properties, including stability, an ultralow threshold (≈2.31 µJ cm−2), and a narrow linewidth (≈0.15 nm). Conclusively, this comprehensive study of manipulating lasing mode by breaking mode structure may provide a promising approach to realizing single‐mode lasing in a single structure, which is significant for producing on‐chip laser source arrays for use in photonic integrated circuits.