A highly efficient nanocavity formed by optically coupled nanostructures is achieved by optimization of the collective Mie resonances in a one-dimensional array of semiconductor nanoparticles. Analysis of quasi-normal multipole modes enables us to reveal the close relation between the collective Mie resonances and Van Hove singularities. On the basis of these concepts, we experimentally demonstrate a directional GaAs nanolaser at cryogenic temperatures with well-defined, in-plane emission, which, moreover, can be controlled by selective excitation. The lasing threshold is shown to be significantly reduced by optimizing the interparticle gap such that the optimal near-field confinement is achieved at a resonant wavelength corresponding to the highest gain of GaAs. We show that the lasing performance of this nanolaser is orders of magnitude better than a nanowire-based laser of the same dimensions. The present work provides design guidelines for high performance in-plane emission nanolasers, which may find applications in future photonic integrated circuits.
Keywords: Dielectric nanoantennas; Mie resonances; collective resonances; directional emission; nanolasers.