Topological insulator laser: Theory

Two-dimensional topological edge state lasers, intrinsically non-Hermitian systems, have been observed recently.

“Finally, two-dimensional topological edge state lasers (Bahari et al., 2017;Bandres et al., 2018;Harari et al., 2018), intrinsically non-Hermitian systems, have been observed recently”

In the topologically trivial case, disorder further suppresses the mode competition effect by spatially localizing modes.

“This problem is particularly serious in the presence of disorder, which further suppresses the mode competition effect by spatially localizing modes.”

Topological lasing in two dimensions leads to highly efficient laser operation.

“In two dimensions, topological lasing has been shown to lead to a highly efficient laser operation that remains monomode even well above the threshold and is robust against disorder (Harari et al., 2018).”

In the topologically trivial case, laser operation is not able to exhaust all available gain because many other modes can easily go above threshold for increasing power, leading to a complex multimode operation.

“In the topologically trivial case, laser operation is not able to exhaust all available gain, because many other modes can easily go above threshold for increasing power, leading to a complex multimode operation.”

Topological lasing in two dimensions remains monomode even well above threshold.

“In two dimensions, topological lasing has been shown to lead to a highly efficient laser operation that remains monomode even well above the threshold and is robust against disorder (Harari et al., 2018).”

In topological lattices, the single lasing mode is extended around the whole system perimeter.

“In topological lattices, all of these problems turn out to be no longer relevant: the single lasing mode is extended around the whole system perimeter, maintaining a unidirectional flow and a spatially very uniform intensity profile even in the presence of disorder and for high pumping levels well above the threshold.”

In topological lattices, the single lasing mode maintains a spatially very uniform intensity profile even in the presence of disorder and for high pumping levels well above threshold.

“In topological lattices, all of these problems turn out to be no longer relevant: the single lasing mode is extended around the whole system perimeter, maintaining a unidirectional flow and a spatially very uniform intensity profile even in the presence of disorder and for high pumping levels well above the threshold.”

In topological lattices, the single lasing mode maintains a unidirectional flow.

“In topological lattices, all of these problems turn out to be no longer relevant: the single lasing mode is extended around the whole system perimeter, maintaining a unidirectional flow and a spatially very uniform intensity profile even in the presence of disorder and for high pumping levels well above the threshold.”

Topological lasing in two dimensions is robust against disorder.

“In two dimensions, topological lasing has been shown to lead to a highly efficient laser operation that remains monomode even well above the threshold and is robust against disorder (Harari et al., 2018).”