Electrically controlled white laser emission through liquid crystal/polymer multiphases

Abstract

White lasers are becoming increasingly relevant in various fields since they exhibit unprecedented properties in terms of beam brightness and intensity modulation. Here we introduce a white laser based on a polymer matrix encompassing liquid crystals and multiple organic chromophores in a multifunctional phase-separation system. The separation of the hydrophilic matrix and the hydrophobic liquid crystals leads to the formation of a complex optically active layer, featuring lasing emission tuneable from blue to red. White laser emission is found with an optical excitation threshold of approximately 12 mJ/cm2. Importantly, an external electric field can be used to control the device emission intensity. White lasers with low-voltage (≤10 V) controllable emission might pave the way for a new generation of broadband light sources for analytical, computational, and communication applications.