Recently, the research team headed by Associate Professor Zhou Taojie from the School of Microelectronics at South China University of Technology has achieved remarkable advancements in the realm of photonic - crystal semiconductor nanolasers operating within the 1550 - nanometer optical communication band.

The team adopted a novel approach by stacking and twisting photonic crystal structures, which led to the design of a distinctive "twisted - slotted photonic crystal nanocavity." Through meticulous control over the lattice constant, air - hole radius, and twist angle, they successfully incorporated slotted air holes. These slotted air holes disrupt the symmetry at the cavity's center, effectively eliminating mode degeneracy.

This groundbreaking design has enabled high - performance laser emission in the 1550 - nanometer communication band. A key breakthrough of this innovation is the simultaneous achievement of stable single - mode operation and an unprecedentedly small mode volume of 0.052(λ/n)³. This achievement offers a practical and effective solution for developing high - performance nanoscale coherent light sources, which are crucial for future high - density integrated photonic chips.

The relevant research findings were published in the internationally renowned top - tier journal Laser & Photonics Reviews on November 16, 2025. The paper is titled "Ultra - Compact Twisted Photonic Crystal Semiconductor Nanolasers with Ultra - Small Mode Volumes."