Turning a polystyrene microsphere into a multimode light source by laser irradiation

Polystyrene (PS) is generally considered as a passive optical material that is transparent to light with wavelengths longer than 300 nm. In practice, PS micro- and nanospheres with uniform sizes are usually used to build photonic crystals based on self-assembly mechanism. Here, we demonstrate experi...

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Main Authors: Liu Shimei, Tie Shaolong, Chen Jingdong, Li Guangcan, Yang Jiaxin, Lan Sheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: De Gruyter 2022-10-01
Series:Nanophotonics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2022-0380
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author Liu Shimei
Tie Shaolong
Chen Jingdong
Li Guangcan
Yang Jiaxin
Lan Sheng
author_facet Liu Shimei
Tie Shaolong
Chen Jingdong
Li Guangcan
Yang Jiaxin
Lan Sheng
author_sort Liu Shimei
collection DOAJ
description Polystyrene (PS) is generally considered as a passive optical material that is transparent to light with wavelengths longer than 300 nm. In practice, PS micro- and nanospheres with uniform sizes are usually used to build photonic crystals based on self-assembly mechanism. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that PS microspheres supporting whispery gallery modes can be transformed into multimode light sources by laser irradiation. We show that a PS microsphere placed on a silica substrate can be lighted up when it is consecutively irradiated by using a 488-nm continuous wave laser beam with a pumping power above a threshold. Broadband luminescence emitted from the PS microsphere increases rapidly to a maximum value and decreases gradually with increasing irradiation time, implying the generation and degradation of a certain luminescent material upon laser irradiation. However, the PS microsphere is found to be damaged by high temperature based on morphology examination. By replacing the silica substrate with a thin silver film, the threshold laser power for lighting up a PS microsphere is dramatically reduced. More importantly, we can see enhanced luminescence intensities from the whispery gallery modes supported by the PS microsphere, which becomes an efficient multimode light source. Interestingly, the threshold laser power can be further lowered by inserting a molybdenum disulfide monolayer in between the PS microsphere and the silver film. As a result, the PS microsphere remains nearly unchanged except the formation of the luminescence material. Our findings open a new horizon for the interaction of polymer with laser light by exploiting the optical resonances supported by micro- and nanoparticles and pave the way for constructing photonic devices based on laser-induced luminescent materials in polymers.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2192-8614
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publishDate 2022-10-01
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spelling doaj-art-ed71c912b52e4ad2b99b665d29f7489b2024-11-25T11:19:08ZengDe GruyterNanophotonics2192-86142022-10-0111214715472510.1515/nanoph-2022-0380Turning a polystyrene microsphere into a multimode light source by laser irradiationLiu Shimei0Tie Shaolong1Chen Jingdong2Li Guangcan3Yang Jiaxin4Lan Sheng5Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Functional Materials and Devices, School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou510006, ChinaSchool of Chemistry, South China Normal University, Guangzhou510006, ChinaCollege of Physics and Information Engineering, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou363000, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Functional Materials and Devices, School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou510006, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Functional Materials and Devices, School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou510006, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Functional Materials and Devices, School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou510006, ChinaPolystyrene (PS) is generally considered as a passive optical material that is transparent to light with wavelengths longer than 300 nm. In practice, PS micro- and nanospheres with uniform sizes are usually used to build photonic crystals based on self-assembly mechanism. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that PS microspheres supporting whispery gallery modes can be transformed into multimode light sources by laser irradiation. We show that a PS microsphere placed on a silica substrate can be lighted up when it is consecutively irradiated by using a 488-nm continuous wave laser beam with a pumping power above a threshold. Broadband luminescence emitted from the PS microsphere increases rapidly to a maximum value and decreases gradually with increasing irradiation time, implying the generation and degradation of a certain luminescent material upon laser irradiation. However, the PS microsphere is found to be damaged by high temperature based on morphology examination. By replacing the silica substrate with a thin silver film, the threshold laser power for lighting up a PS microsphere is dramatically reduced. More importantly, we can see enhanced luminescence intensities from the whispery gallery modes supported by the PS microsphere, which becomes an efficient multimode light source. Interestingly, the threshold laser power can be further lowered by inserting a molybdenum disulfide monolayer in between the PS microsphere and the silver film. As a result, the PS microsphere remains nearly unchanged except the formation of the luminescence material. Our findings open a new horizon for the interaction of polymer with laser light by exploiting the optical resonances supported by micro- and nanoparticles and pave the way for constructing photonic devices based on laser-induced luminescent materials in polymers.https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2022-0380laser irradiationmicrospherepolystyrenetwo-dimensional materialwhispery gallery mode
spellingShingle Liu Shimei
Tie Shaolong
Chen Jingdong
Li Guangcan
Yang Jiaxin
Lan Sheng
Turning a polystyrene microsphere into a multimode light source by laser irradiation
Nanophotonics
laser irradiation
microsphere
polystyrene
two-dimensional material
whispery gallery mode
title Turning a polystyrene microsphere into a multimode light source by laser irradiation
title_full Turning a polystyrene microsphere into a multimode light source by laser irradiation
title_fullStr Turning a polystyrene microsphere into a multimode light source by laser irradiation
title_full_unstemmed Turning a polystyrene microsphere into a multimode light source by laser irradiation
title_short Turning a polystyrene microsphere into a multimode light source by laser irradiation
title_sort turning a polystyrene microsphere into a multimode light source by laser irradiation
topic laser irradiation
microsphere
polystyrene
two-dimensional material
whispery gallery mode
url https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2022-0380
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AT chenjingdong turningapolystyrenemicrosphereintoamultimodelightsourcebylaserirradiation
AT liguangcan turningapolystyrenemicrosphereintoamultimodelightsourcebylaserirradiation
AT yangjiaxin turningapolystyrenemicrosphereintoamultimodelightsourcebylaserirradiation
AT lansheng turningapolystyrenemicrosphereintoamultimodelightsourcebylaserirradiation