A Photoisomerization-Activated Intramolecular Charge-Transfer Process for Broadband-Tunable Single-Mode Microlasers

Miniaturized lasers with high spectral purity and wide wavelength tunability are crucial for various photonic applications. Here we propose a strategy to realize broadband-tunable single-mode lasing based on a photoisomerization-activated intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) process in coupled polymer microdisk cavities. The photoisomerizable molecules doped in the polymer microdisks can be quantitatively transformed into a kind of laser dye with strong ICT character by photoexcitation. The gain region was tailored over a wide range through the self-modulation of the optically activated ICT isomers. Meanwhile, the resonant modes shifted with the photoisomerization because of a change in the effective refractive index of the polymer microdisk cavity. Based on the synergetic modulation of the optical gain and microcavity, we realized the broadband tuning of the single-mode laser. These results offer a promising route to fabricate broadband-tunable microlasers towards practical photonic integrations.