VCSELs with nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal overlays

K. Panajotov; M. Dems; C. Belmonte; H. Thienpont; Y. Xie; J. Beeckman; K. Neyts

doi:10.1117/12.2003937

13 March 2013 VCSELs with nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal overlays

K. Panajotov, M. Dems, C. Belmonte, H. Thienpont, Y. Xie, J. Beeckman, K. Neyts

Proceedings Volume 8639, Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers XVII; 86390A (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2003937
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2013, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

We study theoretically the spectral and polarization threshold characteristics of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers with nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal overlay: LC-VCSELs. In the first case, we demonstrate the possibility of selecting between two orthogonal directions of linear polarization (LP) of the fundamental mode (x or y LP) by choosing appropriate NLC length and to achieve strong polarization discrimination: threshold gain difference as large as several times the threshold gain. We also demonstrate an active control of light polarization by electro-optically tuning the LC director and show that either polarization switching between x and y LP modes or continuous change of the LP direction is possible. For cholesteric LC-VCSEL we show that it becomes a coupled system with different spectral, threshold and polarization characteristics than the ones of the stand-alone VCSEL. Due to the existence of a band gap for circularly polarized light in the liquid crystal, lasing occurs in almost circularly polarized modes at the LC side.

Citation Download Citation

K. Panajotov, M. Dems, C. Belmonte, H. Thienpont, Y. Xie, J. Beeckman, and K. Neyts "VCSELs with nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal overlays", Proc. SPIE 8639, Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers XVII, 86390A (13 March 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2003937

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