Random lasing at localization induced in correlated colloidal system

Abstract

Random lasers have the potential for cheap and coherent light sources which, in the particular case of colloidal suspensions, are completely flexible and can take on any desired shape. Here, we studied random lasing in correlated colloidal systems composed by TiO2@Silica nanoparticles suspended in ethanol solutions of Rhodamine 6G. TiO2 particles with two different silica layers (thicknesses of 40 nm and 70 nm) were prepared. The Random laser performance improves when the silica shell is thicker (70 nm), which was attributed to a stronger localization of light (higher density of localized states) induced by stronger correlation in the scatterers' (TiO2@Silica) position as a consequence of a stronger and longer-range Coulomb interaction between the scatterers. Light diffraction patterns in both TiO2@Silica suspensions showed a stronger correlation in the scatterers’ position, being stronger when the silica shell is thicker.