A　neodymium-doped　silica　microsphere　(NDSM)　laser　is　described　in　this　work,　which　was　a　pure　silica　sphere　coated　with　Nd3+　doped　sol-gel　film　and　showed　a　rather　simple　production　procedure,　good　characteristics,　low　cost　and　flexibility.　To　create　the　NDSM　lasers,　the　neodymium-doped　sol-gel　film　was　applied　to　the　surface　of　a　silica　microsphere,　an　optical　tapered　fiber　(OTF)　which　was　used　to　couple　an　808　nm　continuous-wave　diode　laser　into　the　inner　surface　of　the　NDSM,　served　as　a　pump　light　source.　Multi-mode　and　single-mode　laser　oscillations　around　1100　nm　were　observed　due　to　the　4F3/2-4I11/2　transitions　of　Nd3+　ions.　Highly　confined　whispering　gallery　modes　of　pump　laser　made　an　ultralow　threshold　microlaser,　we　could　observe　the　laser　oscillations　when　the　pump　power　was　as　low　as　15.7　μW.　The　multi-mode　laser　oscillation　spectrum　depends　on　the　microsphere　morphology　characteristics.　The　free　spectral　range　(FSR)　was　in　good　agreement　with　the　calculated　value　which　was　based　on　the　Mie　scattering　theory.　©　2015　Elsevier　B.V.