  We have achieved low threshold lasing of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum
dots coupled to the evanescent wave of the high-$Q$ whispering gallery modes of
a silica microsphere. In spite of high temperature and $Q$-spoiling of
whispering gallery modes due to diffusion and refraction on the high index
semiconductor sample, room temperature lasing is obtained with less than 100
quantum dots. This result highlights the feasibility and interest of combining
self-assembled quantum dots and microspheres in view of cavity-quantum
electrodynamics experiments.
