Finite-Difference Time-Domain Analysis of Laser Action in Cholesteric Photonic Liquid Crystal

We have numerically investigated lasing dynamics in cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) with gain by an auxiliary differential equation finite-difference time-domain (ADE-FDTD) method in which the FDTD method is coupled with a rate equation in a four-level energy structure. Circularly polarized lasing was achieved at the photonic band edge above threshold pumping. Our model opens a way for a computational design of the CLC laser on the basis of numerical simulation to realize a more efficient device architecture for a greatly reduced lasing threshold, which is still under extensive study.

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