Remote and autonomous temperature measurement based on 3D liquid crystal microlasers

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Thermodynamics

Background:

• Accurate remote temperature sensing is crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Existing non-contact methods often face limitations in precision, range, or sensitivity to environmental factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a novel method for high-precision, non-contact temperature measurement.
• To utilize the temperature-dependent spectral shift of laser emission from liquid crystal droplets.

Main Methods:

• Employing dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystal droplets as microlasers.
• Exciting droplets with a pulsed laser and collecting emitted light via telescope optics.
• Analyzing the spectral position of the Bragg lasing for temperature determination.

Main Results:

• Achieved temperature measurement precision of one tenth of a Kelvin.
• Demonstrated effective measurement at distances of several meters.
• Confirmed robustness against scattering, absorption, and background signals.

Conclusions:

• The developed method offers a highly precise and versatile solution for remote temperature monitoring.
• The technique's insensitivity to environmental noise broadens its applicability in diverse settings.
• Potential for detection ranges exceeding tens of meters in scientific and industrial fields.