Gain modulation in thin film lasers

Introduction

Thin film lasers are unique in their ability to contain a gain medium distributed over a large area. In contrast, standard lasers have a gain volume that is either confined to small dimensions in all directions (e.g., VCSEL and photonic crystal lasers) or elongated in one dimension (e.g., gas, dye, DFB lasers). The extra dimension in the gain medium extension of thin film lasers opens up new, unexplored possibilities.

In this work, we plan to use metal-halide perovskites as the active medium, a material class on the verge of demonstrating electrically pumped lasing with very high brightness. Our goal is to spatially modulate the gain either passively, through 2D patterning of the cavity or surrounding media, or actively, by spatially modulating the optical or electrical pump intensity. We aim to study the impact of these modulations on in-plane and out-of-plane emission patterns, which could translate into applications such as beam routing or beam steering with multiple channels simultaneously.

Topic

This PhD is combines experimental work and simulations, where the experiments include thin film device fabrication and electro-optical laser characterization. You feel comfortable in a lab environment working with solution based and vacuum processes and electrical and optical characterization tools. You are in numerical and analytic simulations to design your own resonators and later analyze your experiments. Overall, you are curious and motivated to explore the fascinating world of thin film lasers and with their wide range of potential applications – all this in the environment of a leading research institution. Together we define the relevant target parameters to ensure your development process.

You are embedded in a growing team with a healthy mix of experience levels. At all stages of the work, you can rely on the support of our highly skilled team of senior engineers and scientists.

The candidate

You have recently finished your studies with a master’s degree in photonics, semiconductor physics, electrical engineering, nano-engineering, or related. You are highly motivated to dive with us into the world of thin film optoelectronic devices. You are a hands-on person in a lab environment and have creativity that helps you in problem solving and data analysis. It’s a plus if you have experience in working with chemicals in order to build your own devices. You are a team player and have good communication skills as you will work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural team. You have the chance to regularly present your results thus getting guidance and feedback from our team. Given the international character of imec, an excellent knowledge of English is a must.