Abstract

Highly scattering hybrid structures are produced either by incorporating zinc oxide nanoparticles in a variety of inert organic polymeric or inorganic sol-gel matrices or by depositing nanoparticles on flexible substrates. All structures exhibit intense laser-like emission upon optical pumping. The ZnO particles provide both the gain and the strong scattering power, which leads to photon localization due to multiple elastic light scattering. The polymer matrix offers ease of material fabrication and processability while the elastic substrate offers flexibility in view of potential applications. Excitation of the nanohybrids by laser pulses shows threshold behavior demonstrated by a dramatic increase in the emitted light intensity and a significant spectral and temporal narrowing (Fig. 1)¹.

© 2007 IEEE