Researchers have made a groundbreaking advancement in laser technology by developing a method to “print” lasers using an inkjet printer. This innovative inkjet-printed laser approach could revolutionize display technology, offering brighter and more vibrant colors than current OLED and liquid crystal displays.
The process involves inkjet printing tiny droplets of a special organic liquid that emit laser light when optically pumped. These droplets, measuring 30 µm in diameter, can be densely packed onto a circuit board, forming a compact laser display.
What sets this technology apart is the ability to control the laser emission by applying an electric field. When a field is applied to a droplet, it deforms from a sphere into an ellipsoid, effectively switching off the laser light. This allows each droplet to act as an individually controllable “laser pixel.” The researchers successfully demonstrated this pixel-selective switching in a 2×3 array of droplets.
This breakthrough has significant implications for the future of displays. Laser displays offer superior brightness and color reproduction compared to conventional technologies. However, miniaturization and mass production of laser components have been major challenges. This inkjet printing method provides a potential solution by enabling the rapid and precise deposition of large quantities of these microscopic lasers.
The laser emission from the droplets is based on Whispering-Gallery Mode resonance, where light circulates within the droplet. Applying an electric field alters the droplet’s shape, disrupting this resonance and halting the laser oscillation.
While this inkjet-printed laser technology is promising, further research is needed to optimize the pumping energy and enhance the laser dyes’ lifetime. Nevertheless, this innovative approach opens exciting possibilities for developing next-generation laser displays with enhanced visual experiences.
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