Random laser of dye-injected holey photonic-crystal fiber

Random laser action is observed in a holey photonic-crystal fiber (PCF) whose holes are filled with a solution of 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran laser dye. Although the holes of the PCF are periodically ordered, the laser action does not stem from the Bragg reflection due to the periodic order. A detailed investigation demonstrates that random laser action is the only possible mechanism for the laser oscillation. The PCF is a promising quasi-two-dimensional random laser platform that is convenient for investigating the mechanism of random laser oscillation.