We report the lasing characteristics of a single ZnO nanosheet optically pumped by ultraviolet laser beam. The ZnO nanosheets were synthesized by a carbothermal chemical vapor deposition method. The ZnO nanosheets dispersed on a silica glass substrate were excited by the third-harmonic of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (λ = 355 nm, τ = 5 ns) and photoluminescence from a single ZnO nanosheet was observed. The observed emission spectra showed the obvious lasing characteristics having modal structure and threshold characteristics. The threshold power for lasing was measured to be 50 kW/cm², which was much lower than 150 kW/cm², the threshold power of the reference ZnO nanowire. It indicates that the ZnO nanosheet is a superior gain medium for an ultraviolet laser. The oscillation mechanism inside a ZnO nanosheet is attributed to the micro-cavity effect, based on the three-dimensional laser-field simulation.

© 2011 OSA

1. R. Q. Guo, J. Nishimura, M. Matsumoto, D. Nakamura, and T. Okada, “Catalyst-free synthesis of vertically-aligned ZnO nanowires by nanoparticle-assisted pulsed laser deposition,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.93(4), 843–847 (2008). [CrossRef]
2. R. Q. Guo, M. Matsumoto, T. Matsumoto, M. Higashihata, D. Nakamura, and T. Okada, “Aligned growth of ZnO nanowires by NAPLD and their optical characterizations,” Appl. Surf. Sci.255(24), 9671–9675 (2009). [CrossRef]
3. J. H. Park and J. G. Park, “Synthesis of ultrawide ZnO nanosheets,” Curr. Appl. Phys.6(6), 1020–1023 (2006). [CrossRef]
4. L. Xu, Y. Guo, Q. Liao, J. Zhang, and D. Xu, “Morphological control of ZnO nanostructures by electrodeposition,” J. Phys. Chem. B109(28), 13519–13522 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. F. Wang, R. Liu, A. Pan, L. Cao, K. Cheng, B. Xue, G. Wang, Q. Meng, J. Li, Q. Li, Y. Wang, T. Wang, and B. Zou, “The optical properties of ZnO sheets electrodeposited on ITO glass,” Mater. Lett.61(10), 2000–2003 (2007). [CrossRef]
6. E. S. Jang, X. Chen, J. H. Won, J. H. Chung, D. J. Jang, Y. W. Kim, and J. H. Choy, “Soft-solution route to ZnO nanowall array with low threshold power density,” Appl. Phys. Lett.97(4), 043109 (2010). [CrossRef]
7. E. S. P. Leong, S. F. Yu, and S. P. Lau, “Directional edge-emitting UV random laser diodes,” Appl. Phys. Lett.89(22), 221109 (2006). [CrossRef]
8. S. Chu, M. Olmedo, Z. Yang, J. Kong, and J. Liu, “Electrically pumped ultraviolet ZnO diode lasers on Si,” Appl. Phys. Lett.93(18), 181106 (2008). [CrossRef]
9. M. H. Huang, S. Mao, H. Feick, H. Yan, Y. Wu, H. Kind, E. Weber, R. Russo, and P. Yang, “Room-temperature ultraviolet nanowire nanolasers,” Science292(5523), 1897–1899 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. L. K. van Vugt, S. Rühle, and D. Vanmaekelbergh, “Phase-correlated nondirectional laser emission from the end facets of a ZnO nanowire,” Nano Lett.6(12), 2707–2711 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. M. A. Zimmler, F. Capasso, S. Muller, and C. Ronning, “Optically pumped nanowire lasers: invited review,” Semicond. Sci. Technol.25(2), 024001 (2010). [CrossRef]
12. G. P. Zhu, C. X. Xu, J. Zhu, C. G. Lv, and Y. P. Cui, “Two-photon excited whispering-gallery mode ultraviolet laser from an individual ZnO microneedle,” Appl. Phys. Lett.94(5), 051106 (2009). [CrossRef]
13. C. Czekalla, T. Nobis, A. Rahm, B. Cao, J. Zúñiga-Pérez, C. Sturm, R. Schmidt-Grund, M. Lorenz, and M. Grundmann, “Whispering gallery modes in zinc oxide micro- and nanowires,” Phys. Status Solidi B247(6), 1282–1293 (2010). [CrossRef]
14. S. F. Yu, C. Yuen, S. P. Lau, W. I. Park, and G.-C. Yi, “Random laser action in ZnO nanorod arrays embedded in ZnO epilayers,” Appl. Phys. Lett.84(17), 3241–3243 (2004). [CrossRef]
15. E. S. P. Leong and S. F. Yu, “UV random lasing action in p-SiC(4H)/i-ZnO–SiO2 nanocomposite/n-ZnO:Al heterojunction diodes,” Adv. Mater. (Deerfield Beach Fla.)18(13), 1685–1688 (2006). [CrossRef]
16. Y. T. Shih, C. Y. Chiu, C. W. Chang, J. R. Yang, M. Shiojiri, and M. J. Chen, “Stimulated emission in highly (0001)-oriented ZnO films grown by atomic layer deposition on the amorphous glass substrates,” J. Electrochem. Soc.157(9), H879–H883 (2010). [CrossRef]
17. J. C. Ryan and T. L. Reinecke, “Band-gap renormalization of optically excited semiconductor quantum wells,” Phys. Rev. B Condens. Matter47(15), 9615–9620 (1993). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
18. A. E. Siegman, Lasers (University Science Books, 1986).
19. S. Adachi, Optical Constants of Crystalline and Amorphous Semiconductors: Numerical Data and Graphical Information (Kluwer Academic, 1999), Chap. D2.
20. M. K. Barnovski, Fundamentals of Optical Fiber Communications (Academic, 1981).

Adv. Mater. (Deerfield Beach Fla.)

• E. S. P. Leong and S. F. Yu, “UV random lasing action in p-SiC(4H)/i-ZnO–SiO2 nanocomposite/n-ZnO:Al heterojunction diodes,” Adv. Mater. (Deerfield Beach Fla.)18(13), 1685–1688 (2006). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• G. P. Zhu, C. X. Xu, J. Zhu, C. G. Lv, and Y. P. Cui, “Two-photon excited whispering-gallery mode ultraviolet laser from an individual ZnO microneedle,” Appl. Phys. Lett.94(5), 051106 (2009). [CrossRef]
• E. S. Jang, X. Chen, J. H. Won, J. H. Chung, D. J. Jang, Y. W. Kim, and J. H. Choy, “Soft-solution route to ZnO nanowall array with low threshold power density,” Appl. Phys. Lett.97(4), 043109 (2010). [CrossRef]
• E. S. P. Leong, S. F. Yu, and S. P. Lau, “Directional edge-emitting UV random laser diodes,” Appl. Phys. Lett.89(22), 221109 (2006). [CrossRef]
• S. Chu, M. Olmedo, Z. Yang, J. Kong, and J. Liu, “Electrically pumped ultraviolet ZnO diode lasers on Si,” Appl. Phys. Lett.93(18), 181106 (2008). [CrossRef]
• S. F. Yu, C. Yuen, S. P. Lau, W. I. Park, and G.-C. Yi, “Random laser action in ZnO nanorod arrays embedded in ZnO epilayers,” Appl. Phys. Lett.84(17), 3241–3243 (2004). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.

• R. Q. Guo, J. Nishimura, M. Matsumoto, D. Nakamura, and T. Okada, “Catalyst-free synthesis of vertically-aligned ZnO nanowires by nanoparticle-assisted pulsed laser deposition,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.93(4), 843–847 (2008). [CrossRef]

Appl. Surf. Sci.

• R. Q. Guo, M. Matsumoto, T. Matsumoto, M. Higashihata, D. Nakamura, and T. Okada, “Aligned growth of ZnO nanowires by NAPLD and their optical characterizations,” Appl. Surf. Sci.255(24), 9671–9675 (2009). [CrossRef]

Curr. Appl. Phys.

• J. H. Park and J. G. Park, “Synthesis of ultrawide ZnO nanosheets,” Curr. Appl. Phys.6(6), 1020–1023 (2006). [CrossRef]

J. Electrochem. Soc.

• Y. T. Shih, C. Y. Chiu, C. W. Chang, J. R. Yang, M. Shiojiri, and M. J. Chen, “Stimulated emission in highly (0001)-oriented ZnO films grown by atomic layer deposition on the amorphous glass substrates,” J. Electrochem. Soc.157(9), H879–H883 (2010). [CrossRef]

J. Phys. Chem. B

• L. Xu, Y. Guo, Q. Liao, J. Zhang, and D. Xu, “Morphological control of ZnO nanostructures by electrodeposition,” J. Phys. Chem. B109(28), 13519–13522 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Mater. Lett.

• F. Wang, R. Liu, A. Pan, L. Cao, K. Cheng, B. Xue, G. Wang, Q. Meng, J. Li, Q. Li, Y. Wang, T. Wang, and B. Zou, “The optical properties of ZnO sheets electrodeposited on ITO glass,” Mater. Lett.61(10), 2000–2003 (2007). [CrossRef]

Nano Lett.

• L. K. van Vugt, S. Rühle, and D. Vanmaekelbergh, “Phase-correlated nondirectional laser emission from the end facets of a ZnO nanowire,” Nano Lett.6(12), 2707–2711 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. B Condens. Matter

• J. C. Ryan and T. L. Reinecke, “Band-gap renormalization of optically excited semiconductor quantum wells,” Phys. Rev. B Condens. Matter47(15), 9615–9620 (1993). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Status Solidi B

• C. Czekalla, T. Nobis, A. Rahm, B. Cao, J. Zúñiga-Pérez, C. Sturm, R. Schmidt-Grund, M. Lorenz, and M. Grundmann, “Whispering gallery modes in zinc oxide micro- and nanowires,” Phys. Status Solidi B247(6), 1282–1293 (2010). [CrossRef]

Science

• M. H. Huang, S. Mao, H. Feick, H. Yan, Y. Wu, H. Kind, E. Weber, R. Russo, and P. Yang, “Room-temperature ultraviolet nanowire nanolasers,” Science292(5523), 1897–1899 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Semicond. Sci. Technol.

• M. A. Zimmler, F. Capasso, S. Muller, and C. Ronning, “Optically pumped nanowire lasers: invited review,” Semicond. Sci. Technol.25(2), 024001 (2010). [CrossRef]

Other

• A. E. Siegman, Lasers (University Science Books, 1986).
• S. Adachi, Optical Constants of Crystalline and Amorphous Semiconductors: Numerical Data and Graphical Information (Kluwer Academic, 1999), Chap. D2.
• M. K. Barnovski, Fundamentals of Optical Fiber Communications (Academic, 1981).

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