Scattering-Assisted and Logic-Controllable WGM Laser in Liquid Crystal Micropillar

Abstract

Whispering gallery mode (WGM) microcavities can efficiently store and manipulate light with strong light confinement and long photon lifetime, while coupling light into and from WGMs is intrinsically hindered by their unique feature of rotational symmetry. Here, a scattering-assisted liquid crystal (LC) micropillar WGM laser is proposed. WGM lasing at the surface of the micropillar is obviously enhanced by fluorescence scattering in the core of the micropillar. Besides, weak scattering of LC molecules also builds efficient coupling channels between the laser modes and the axial transmission modes of the micropillar-based waveguide, providing an all-in-one liquid WGM laser with functions of self-seeding and self-guiding. Furthermore, based on the hysteresis characteristics of the electrically anchored LC molecules under the interaction of thermal force, an erasable read-write liquid memory device is proposed, paving the way for the application of logic-controllable WGM lasers in optical storage and optical control.