Biomaterial Disk Lasers by Suppressing the Coffee Ring Effect

Inspired by the suppression of the coffee ring effect, we developed self-assembled disk lasers that can be formed with a wide variety of biomaterials. For proof of concept, we formed the disks with the natural protein silk fibroin or the synthetic biopolymer polyvinylpyrrolidone, which created a whispering gallery mode resonator that we combined with organic dyes for laser light generation. The lasers were flexible enough to bend around surfaces, physically transient in aqueous environments, and could be directly placed on various substrates. Moreover, the characteristics of laser emission could be modified by altering the size of the disk. Our results therefore highlight a new combination of materials that can be used in the environmentally friendly production of waste-free photonic devices.