Whispering gallery mode lasing in mesomorphic liquid crystal microdroplets.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optics
• Condensed Matter Physics

Background:

• Non-display applications of liquid crystals are gaining traction.
• Whispering gallery mode (WGM) lasing is an emerging application for liquid crystals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the morphology and WGM lasing properties of nematic (N), smectic-A (SmA), and smectic-C (SmC) liquid crystal microdroplets.
• To compare the lasing performance and stability of different liquid crystal phases.

Main Methods:

• Experimental studies on microdroplets dispersed in a perfluopolymer.
• Temperature control to obtain different mesophases (N, SmA, SmC).
• Analysis of lasing properties: intensity, threshold pump energy, and linewidth.

Main Results:

• SmA microdroplets exhibited superior stability and robustness compared to N and SmC microdroplets.
• SmA microdroplets demonstrated better overall lasing properties, including intensity and linewidth.
• Microdroplets displayed radial director configurations, influenced by temperature.

Conclusions:

• Smectic-A liquid crystal microdroplets are promising for WGM lasing applications due to enhanced stability and performance.
• The orientation of dye molecules, director fluctuations, and interfacial tilting influence lasing characteristics.