Electrically tunable laser with cholesteric liquid crystal heliconical structure

US11444427B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Kent State University · US
• The University Court of the University of Aberdeen · GB

Inventors

• Jie Xiang · San Jose, US
• Andrii Varanytsia · Corning, US
• Fred Minkowski · Kent, US
• Oleg D. Lavrentovich · Kent, US
• Peter Palffy-Muhoray · Kent, US
• Corrie T. Imrie · Aberdeen, GB
• Daniel E. Paterson · Denver, US
• John M. Storey · Aberdeen, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 15, 2016
• Grant date: Sep 13, 2022
• Expiry date: Oct 4, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02F2202/04
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A lasing device includes an active layer comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal material and a laser dye, and a liquid crystal cell including spaced apart substrates defining a cell gap in which the active layer is disposed. The substrates include electrodes arranged to bias the active layer into an oblique helicoidal (ChOH) state. At least one substrate of the liquid crystal cell is optically transparent for a lasing wavelength range of the device.