Abstract

Ultra-small and efficient laser sources is an emerging technology for realizing optical on-chip interconnects [1]. A line defect cavity formed by omitting a number of holes in a photonic crystal membrane with embedded quantum dot or quantum well gain material shows promise as a candidate for realizing lasers with small mode volumes and low threshold powers, while allowing direct modulation at several gigabits per second [2]. Further, the slow-light phenomena occurring in passive line defect photonic crystal waveguides results in enhanced gain [3]. As such the gain material is a key component of the nanolaser. For good thermal operation of the nanolaser the gain material is embedded in an InP membrane [4] which in turn makes optical characterization of the gain material difficult.

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