Unveiling nanolaser physics: Non-Perturbative Measurement of the Lasing-Mode Photon Population at the Sub-Picoseconds and Nanometer Scale

Cléo Santini; Thi Huong Ngo; Luiz H. G. Tizei; Aurélie Lloret; Tom Fraysse; Sebastien Weber; Adrien Teurtrie; Virginie Brändli; Sebastien Chenot; Denis Lefebvre; Stéphane Vézian; Hugo Lourenço-Martins; Christelle Brimont; Benjamin Damilano; Thierry Guillet; Sophie Meuret

arXiv · 2603.23237

Unveiling nanolaser physics: Non-Perturbative Measurement of the Lasing-Mode Photon Population at the Sub-Picoseconds and Nanometer Scale

Cléo Santini·Thi Huong Ngo·Luiz H. G. Tizei·Aurélie Lloret·Tom Fraysse·Sebastien Weber·Adrien Teurtrie·Virginie Brändli·Sebastien Chenot·Denis Lefebvre·Stéphane Vézian·Hugo Lourenço-Martins·Christelle Brimont·Benjamin Damilano·Thierry Guillet·Sophie Meuret

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Abstract

Semiconducting nanowire lasers (NWLs) constitute nanometer-scale modular and tunable light sources hence an essential component for integrated opto-electronics. However, improving and optimizing NWL operation requires characterization of their near-field and dynamics at the nanometer scale, which is hampered by the light diffraction limit. In this article, we show how to non-perturbatively measure the absolute number of photons in the nanolaser cavity above the lasing threshold with sub-picosecond resolution using a GaN nanowire nanolaser, as well as map the lasing mode spatial profile at the nanoscale. This technique, based on the simultaneous measurements of the photon induced near-field electron microscopy (PINEM) and the photons far-field, allows for the complete nanoscale and time-resolved characterization of a NWL in operation while monitoring its macroscopic optical properties.

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Cléo Santini, Thi Huong Ngo, Luiz H. G. Tizei, Aurélie Lloret, Tom Fraysse, Sebastien Weber, Adrien Teurtrie, Virginie Brändli, Sebastien Chenot, Denis Lefebvre, Stéphane Vézian, Hugo Lourenço-Martins, Christelle Brimont, Benjamin Damilano, Thierry Guillet, Sophie Meuret. 2026-03-24. Unveiling nanolaser physics: Non-Perturbative Measurement of the Lasing-Mode Photon Population at the Sub-Picoseconds and Nanometer Scale. https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.23237

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