Design of subwavelength-size, indium tin oxide (ITO)-clad optical disk cavities with quality-factors exceeding 104

Indium tin oxide is used as a top cladding electrode of optical disk resonators with subwavelength size in all dimensions. Calculated quality (Q)-factors exceed 10(4) in visible wavelengths (650-670nm). The disk aspect ratio is an important parameter to optimize the resonator properties. The Q-factor and threshold material gain based on finite-difference time-domain method are optimized for eight different disk resonator optical modes. Proposed cavity designs are promising for building electrically-pumped, low-threshold nano-lasers at room temperature. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America