Dual-Wavelength Lasing with Orthogonal Circular Polarizations Generated in a Single Layer of a Polymer–Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Superstructure

Abstract

We investigate the laser emission from a polymer–cholesteric liquid crystal superstructure with coexisting opposite chiralities fabricated by refilling a right-handed polymeric scaffold with a left-handed cholesteric liquid crystalline material. The superstructure exhibits two photonic band gaps corresponding to the right- and left-circularly polarized light. By adding a suitable dye, dual-wavelength lasing with orthogonal circular polarizations is realized in this single-layer structure. The wavelength of the left-circularly polarized laser emission is thermally tunable, while the wavelength of the right-circularly polarized emission is relatively stable. Due to its relative simplicity and tunability characteristics, our design might have broad application prospects in various fields of photonics and display technology.