Silica core/conjugated polymer shell particles via seeded Knoevenagel dispersion polymerization – laser action in whispering gallery mode resonators

Abstract

Here, we present a seeded Knoevenagel dispersion polymerization to generate hybrid particles with a conjugated polymer shell on inorganic silica cores. This seeded dispersion polymerization facilitates the generation of core–shell particles, which exhibit whispering gallery mode lasing. The lasing threshold decreases while the spectral range of emission increases with increasing shell thickness. This novel seeded Knoevenagel dispersion polymerization opens up a facile and metal free pathway towards single particle conjugated polymer lasers on the micrometer scale.