I went to a talk put on by IEEE on Tuesday.
Abstract
Research Group Info
That has a lot of information, but assumes you are already basically familiar with the field. Here is a layman’s summary: using lithographic techniques, one can carve laser devices out of a thin dielectric (non-conducting) surface. The reason this is possible is that modern lithography technology can etch features smaller than visible light wavelengths.
Image Credit USC Viterbi School of Engineering
If the structure is carved out in just the right shape, then sort of like a pendulum it will have a natural oscillation frequency. If the film is excited with energy, it will radiate coherent light at a frequency determined by its geometry. Currently, that energy is in the form of light but hopefully in the future it will be an electric current.
The complicated part is figuring out what geometry will get the light to come out efficiently. That is, in the desired direction and frequency. This takes super computer simulations and intuition to determine.
Fascinating stuff, some of the people in the audience asked some great questions. Dr. O’Brien was mostly interested in getting the technology to the point of being able to integrate with semiconductors.