ZnO nanolasers on graphene films

We grew and characterized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanolasers on graphene films. By using graphene as a growth medium, we were able to prepare position-controlled and vertically aligned ZnO nanotube lasers. The ZnO nanolasers grown on graphene films showed good optical characteristics, evidenced by a low lasing threshold. Furthermore, the nanolaser/graphene system was easily lifted off the original substrate and transferred onto foreign substrates. The lasing performance was observed to be significantly enhanced by depositing a layer of silver on the back of the graphene film during this transfer process, which was quantitatively investigated using finite-difference time-domain simulations. Due to the wide selection of substrates enabled by the use of graphene films, our results suggest promising strategies for preparing practical nanolasers with improved performance.