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Purcell-enhanced electroluminescence of a unipolar light-emitting quantum device at λ=10µm

Marta Mastrangelo1, Djamal Gacemi1, Axel Evirgen2, Salvatore Pes2, Alexandre Larrue2, Pascal Filloux3, Isabelle Sagnes4, Abdelmounaim Harouri4, Angela Vasanelli1 et al.

Carlo Sirtori1,*

  • *Contact author: carlo.sirtori@phys.ens.psl.eu
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Phys. Rev. Research 8, 033162 – Published 10 August, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/fgy4-4r3c

Abstract

Efficient generation of radiation in the mid- and far-infrared relies primarily on lasers and coherent nonlinear optical phenomena driven by lasers. This wavelength range lacks practical and efficient luminescent devices, particularly, because the spontaneous emission rate becomes much longer than the nonradiative energy relaxation processes and therefore emitters have to count on stimulated emission produced by linear or nonlinear optical gain. However, spontaneous emission is not a fundamental property of the emitter. By engineering metamaterials composed of arrays of nanoemitters into microcavities coupled to patch antennas, we have demonstrated midinfrared electroluminescent devices emitting a collimated beam with excellent spatial properties and a factor of 100 increase in the collected power, compared to standard devices. Our results illustrate that by reshaping the photonic environment around emitting dipoles, as in the Purcell effect, it is possible to enhance the spontaneous emission and conceive efficient optoelectronic light-emitting devices that operate close to the thermodynamical equilibrium as light-emitting diodes in the visible range.

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Phys. Rev. Research 8, 033162– Published 10 August, 2026
  • Received 18 February 2026
  • Accepted 29 June 2026
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