Electrically Pumped Lasing from Bound States in the Continuum

Abstract Optical metacavities based on periodic dielectric structures can support radiationless bound states in the continuum (BICs) with strong confinement of light. In experiment, such BICs can be observed as quasi-BIC modes with very large but finite quality factors (Q factors), and they can be employed to realize and control lasing action at ultralow powers. All BIC lasers demonstrated so far are optically pumped. Here, we report on the first realization of electrically pumped BIC laser operating at room temperatures and employing interfering resonances in photonic-crystal metacavities with the power of about 3 mW and the lasing threshold below 375 mA. Our cost-effective fabrication approach and the electrical pumping pave a way for many applications of the BIC lasers in optical communications, sensing, and quantum information processing.