Controlling light flow in the directed-assembly of blue-phase liquid crystal (BPLC) microspheres with curvature boundaries and random domain of cubic lattices is a highly interesting photonic phenomenon. A strategy of efficient random lasing with resonant feedback based on a microemulsion comprising of BPLC, laser dye and block copolymer is presented here. BPLCs are produced with a microfluidic apparatus and confined in microspheres. These spatially-assembled dye-doped BPLC microdroplets are used as a source for the generation of laser light. Recurrent light flow inside the droplets comprising of face-centered cubic blue-phase boundaries provides omnidirectional lasing with efficient coherent feedback which is not supported by conventional resonators. The topologically directed assemblies of BPLC microspheres with explicit shape and symmetry are essential for reducing threshold and increasing Q-factor of laser emission. These results provide new avenues for a wide range of photonic applications.

The growing requirements for ultrafast communication speeds are constantly pushing the need to explore new devices and materials to reduce bottlenecks in optical communication networks. One such device is a phase only spatial light modulator implemented using liquid crystal on silicon. Achieving this requires polarization independent and fast-switching optical materials. Blue-phase liquid crystal is one such candidate. Popular opinion is that blue-phase liquid crystal is polarization-independent. In this study using microscopic and polarimetric methods, we demonstrate that in the off-state of blue-phase, the alignment layers affect the optical polarization behavior.

A strategy of efficient laser emission with resonant feedback based on a microemulsion comprising of a blue-phase liquid crystal (BPLC), laser dye and block copolymer is presented here. BPLCs are produced and confined in microspheres with a microfluidic apparatus. These spatially assembled dye-doped BPLC microdroplets are used to generate laser light. The topologically directed assemblies of BPLC microspheres with specific shape and symmetry are essential for reducing threshold and increasing Q-factor of laser emission. These results provide new avenues for a wide range of photonic applications.