Laser Emission from Dye-Doped Liquid Crystal Gratings Formed by Polarization Holography

Abstract

Laser emission from a nematic liquid crystal system whose grating structure is induced by a linear photopolymerizable alignment layer is reported. The grating structure is written on the alignment layer through polarization holography, inducing periodic boundary conditions on the laser dye-doped nematic liquid crystal. We report on the presence of laser emission at wavelengths predicted by coupled wave theory and the switchability of emission in these systems through the application of an electric field. Sensitivities to incident polarizations are also discussed.

Keywords:

• dye
• holography
• H-PDLC
• laser
• liquid crystal
• photonic crystal