[22a-W331-1~12] 16.1 Fundamental properties, evaluation, process and devices in disordered materials

[22a-W331-5] Ultraviolet stimulated emission from cubic MgO microcrystals

Haruka Soma¹, Yuki Uenaka¹, Akihumi Asahara², Tohru Suemoto², 〇Takashi Uchino¹ (1.Kobe Univ., 2.Tokyo Univ.)

Keywords:ultraviolet laser,MgO

Research on semiconductor nanowires underlies the development of the miniaturization of laser devices with low cost and low energy consumption. In general, nanowire lasers are made of direct band gap semiconductors, e.g., GaN, ZnO and CdS, and their band-edge emissions are used to achieve optically pumped laser emission. In addition to the existing class of nanowire lasers, we here show that air-annealed micrometer-sized MgO cubic crystals with well-defined facets exhibit room-temperature stimulated emission at 394 nm under pulsed laser pumping at ~350 nm. Surface midgap states are assumed to be responsible for the excitation and emission processes. The present findings will not only provide opportunities for the development of miniaturized lasers composed of insulating oxides, but will also open up functionality in various families of cubic crystalline materials.