Surfactant sensing based on whispering-gallery-mode lasing in liquid-crystal microdroplets

Lasing of whispering-gallery modes in nematic liquid-crystal microdroplets, floating in water, is demonstrated. It is shown that millimolar concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate in water effect the orientation of liquid-crystal molecules in the microdroplet, which changes the lasing spectrum. The presence of targeted molecules in water can be monitored by simply measuring and recognizing the spectrum of light, lasing from a small liquid-crystal droplet in water. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America