Higher-dimensional supersymmetric microlaser arrays

Abstract

Supersymmetric switch-on A common route to enhancing the output light from a laser system is to couple multiple lasers to form an array. However, crosstalk and interference between different modes of the individual lasers are generally detrimental to performance, leading to instabilities, and could ultimately be damaging to the laser cavities. Qiao et al. worked with the mathematical framework of supersymmetry, a theory developed in high-energy physics to attempt to describe the makeup and properties of particles, to design a stable two-dimensional laser array. Based on symmetry arguments, the method is scalable and could prove to be a practical platform with which to design and develop complex photonic systems. Science , this issue p. 403