Temperature-controlled random laser action in liquid crystal infiltrated systems

Abstract

We study an amplifying disordered dielectric material of which the scattering strength can be controlled externally via temperature. Such a system was realized by infiltrating liquid crystal and laser dye inside sintered glass powders. The random laser materials that were obtained this way can be brought below or above threshold by small changes in environment temperature, and the bandwidth of its emission can be tuned. We will go into the experimental details and the technical aspects of the realization of these systems, and show measurements on the diffusion constant and spectral properties of the emission.