Mechanically tunable microlasers based on highly viscous chiral liquid crystals

Abstract

Chiral composition is designed for highly viscous lasing microemitters. The composition forms cholesteric liquid crystal and after doping with pyrromethene 597 was used as an active lasing media in stretchable aluminized silicone cavities. Optical pumping of the system led to lasing at the wavelengths defined by a degree of cavity deformation. Lasing thresholds were lower in aluminized cavity than in transparent cavity. A simple model allowing to predict the shift of lasing wavelength as a function of deformation is developed.