3A07 Laser Action in Free-Standing Film of Photopolymerized Cholesteric Liquid Crystal

Abstract

Optically pumped mirrorless laser action has been observed in a dye-doped flexible free-standing film of photopolymerized cholesteric liquid crystal (PCLC). In the PCLC film, self-organized helical structure acts as one-dimensional (1-D) photonic crystal. At high excitation intensity above the threshold, a laser action is observed at an edge of the 1-D photonic band of the PCLC helical structure. This PCLC film laser possesses an excellent mechanical flexibility, and the laser action is also observed in a bent film of PCLC. Using such flexibility of the PCLC film, a focusing effect of laser emission is demonstrated in a circularly deformed film. Moreover, the helical pitch of the PCLC has no temperature dependence in contrast to that of unpolymerized cholesteric liquid crystal.