Photo-tuning of lasing from a dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystals by photoisomerization of a sugar derivative having plural azobenzene groups

Abstract

Cholesteric liquid crystal (Ch LC) was prepared by mixing a nematic LC, a sugar derivative having plural azobenzene substituents, and a laser dye. Laser emission from the dye-doped Ch LC was observed at the longer edge of the selective reflection band of the Ch LC. Reversible change in the helical pitch of the Ch LC was caused by the trans-cis photoisomerization of the sugar derivative having plural azobenzene substituents. According to the change in the helical pitch of the Ch LC, the lasing properties were simultaneously affected by the UV and visible light irradiation; laser emission wavelength, intensity, singlemode-multimode.