title: Some characteristics of a droplet whispering-gallery-mode laser.
abstract: We report lasing characteristics of 40-60-microm-diameter Rhodamine 590/water solution droplets pumped by a 20-nsec-duration Q-switched laser. The Rhodamine/water solution provides a useful model system for studying the properties of oscillators based on whispering-gallery-wave spherical cavities. The low threshold for lasing, 10(4) W/cm(2) for 10(-4) M solutions, is consistent with particle size and a cavity Q factor of 10(4). Portions of the droplet lase purely in transverse electric (TE) modes, while other portions contain both TE and lower-Q transverse magnetic modes. In the far field, the lasing droplet approximates a coherent point source emitting in all directions.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Huston
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Justus
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Campillo