Lasing in an intermediate twisted phase between cholesteric and smectic A phase

This work describes the observation of lasing in an intermediate chiral phase of a dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystal mixture. This intermediate phase exists between cholesteric and smectic A phase and it presents anomalous selective reflection properties. The lasing was observed at the long-wavelength edge of the photonic band gap. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.