Liquid-crystal electric tuning of a photonic crystal laser

An electrically tuned nematic liquid crystal (LC) infiltrated photonic crystal (PC) laser was analyzed. LC tuning of the PC laser was demonstrated by recording the lasing wavelength as a function of the voltage applied across the LC cell. The PC laser between two indium tin oxide glass plates was encased, which serve as the modulating electrodes, to construct a LC cell. The results show that applying a voltage across the cell realigns the LC, modifies the laser cavity's optical path length and blueshifts the lasing wavelength.