Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

An Electrochemical Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Device for Quick and Low-Voltage Color Modulation
10:33

An Electrochemical Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Device for Quick and Low-Voltage Color Modulation

Published on: February 27, 2019

Paintable band-edge liquid crystal lasers.

Damian J Gardiner1, Stephen M Morris, Philip J W Hands

  • 1Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, UK. djg47@cam.ac.uk

Optics Express
|March 4, 2011
PubMed
Summary

We developed novel photonic band-edge lasers using emulsion-based liquid crystals. These self-aligning lasers offer simple fabrication and multi-wavelength output on various substrates.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Redefining topological robustness in optical polarization fields through a generalized skyrmion number.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Full Vectorial Field Sensing Using Liquid Crystal Droplet Arrays.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

A two-step tilt compensation method for off-axis holographic displays.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Holographic Projection Display Enlargement via Polarization-Grating Beam Steering with Fast-Response Liquid Crystal Pi-Cells.

ACS photonics·2026
Same author

Electrically switchable continuous phase liquid crystal Fresnel zone plate.

Light, science & applications·2026
Same author

Seidel-based position-dependent aberration correction in Fourier holography.

Optics express·2026

Area of Science:

  • Photonics and Materials Science
  • Liquid Crystal Displays and Photonics

Background:

  • Photonic band-edge lasers offer unique light emission properties.
  • Chiral nematic liquid crystals possess self-organizing periodic structures.
  • Traditional fabrication methods for such lasers can be complex and require specialized alignment layers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate photonic band-edge laser emission from emulsion-based polymer dispersed liquid crystals.
  • To develop a simplified fabrication method for tunable lasers.
  • To explore multi-wavelength laser output capabilities.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing dye-doped chiral nematic droplets dispersed in a polymer matrix.
  • Employing an emulsion procedure for material fabrication.

More Related Videos

Quantitative Characterization of Liquid Photosensitive Bioink Properties for Continuous Digital Light Processing Based Printing
04:32

Quantitative Characterization of Liquid Photosensitive Bioink Properties for Continuous Digital Light Processing Based Printing

Published on: April 14, 2023

Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation
10:52

Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation

Published on: February 4, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

An Electrochemical Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Device for Quick and Low-Voltage Color Modulation
10:33

An Electrochemical Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Device for Quick and Low-Voltage Color Modulation

Published on: February 27, 2019

Quantitative Characterization of Liquid Photosensitive Bioink Properties for Continuous Digital Light Processing Based Printing
04:32

Quantitative Characterization of Liquid Photosensitive Bioink Properties for Continuous Digital Light Processing Based Printing

Published on: April 14, 2023

Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation
10:52

Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation

Published on: February 4, 2017

  • Investigating spontaneous alignment of liquid crystal droplets during film drying.
  • Fabricating sequential and stacked layers on diverse substrates.

    • Main Results:

    • Achieved photonic band-edge laser emission from the novel material.
    • Demonstrated spontaneous alignment of liquid crystal droplets without external alignment layers.
    • Successfully produced lasers on glass, metallic, and flexible substrates.
    • Showcased simultaneous multi-wavelength laser output using stacked layers.

    Conclusions:

    • Emulsion-based polymer dispersed liquid crystals provide a facile route to photonic band-edge lasers.
    • The developed system combines self-organization with simple processing for efficient laser fabrication.
    • The technology enables tunable, multi-wavelength laser emission suitable for various applications and substrates.