20.500.12556/DiRROS-28225 Light control of lasing from liquid-crystal micro-droplet light switch The all-optical control of light has been explored in hard matter, but to control light by light in soft matter is a major experimental and conceptual challenge that remains largely unexplored. We propose and verify experimentally and numerically that nanosecond light pulses can be controlled by light pulses using resonant stimulated-emission depletion (STED) in a liquid-crystal optical cavity that acts as a nanosecond optical switch. This light-by-light control is realized in a micrometer-diameter droplet of fluorescent-dye-doped nematic liquid crystal that is submersed in an aqueous solution. A set of laser-printed optical waveguides touches the surface of the droplet and provides flow of light in and out of the droplet. We demonstrate that nanosecond light pulses launched through the waveguides initiate the lasing of whispering gallery modes in the droplet. However, the lasing can be suppressed very efficiently on a nanosecond scale by another, red-shifted light pulse before the lasing takes place. The proposed concept of light control in soft matter using STED in an optical cavity requires fewer production steps because of self-assembly. It could be massively replicated using soft imprint lithography, uses less production energy due to low production temperatures, requires less toxic materials, and could be made entirely biocompatible and flexible. 3D printing liquid crystals lasing whispering gallery models light control stimulated emission depletion tekoči kristali lasersko delovanje laserska emisija načini šepetajoče galerije upravljanje svetlobe nadzor svetlobe izčrpanje vzbujene emisije true false true Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers; Chinese Laser Press ZDA Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik © The Authors. Neznano 2026-03-12 13:47:54 2026-03-12 13:47:55 2026-03-13 03:58:03 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 Soavtorji: Jaka Zaplotnik, Maruša Mur, Jaka Pišljar, Uroš Jagodič, Andreja Jelen, Miha Škarabot, Urban Mur, Miha Ravnik, Igor Muševič; Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 12. 3. 2026; str. 026009-1-026009-19 iss. 2 Vol. 8 Mar. 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 2025-04-10 2026-02-02 2026-03-04 539 2577-5421 10.1117/1.AP.8.2.026009 271426307 https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/advanced-photonics/volume-8/issue-02/026009/Light-control-of-lasing-from-liquid-crystal-micro-droplet-light/10.1117/1.AP.8.2.026009.full 1 b2bd3839-1e11-11f1-acf8-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=41663 RAZ_Jagodic_Uros_2026.pdf RAZ_Jagodic_Uros_2026.pdf 1 EB75C255CEE29D260BA4471B913D597D ba489dc2936c030e2cdbd2ab9348c0ae38f4646c0eca25db6ad3fc0a0c767715 f6face40-1e12-11f1-acf8-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=41664 Institut Jožef Stefan 0 0 0