Abstract:
Series of liquids are proposed for use as optical components, and as laser cavities and waveguides. Pulsed pumping of such cavities at λ = 532 nm resulted in lasing in the range 630 — 640 nm, which was investigated. Special features of liquid optical components used as sensors and employed in investigations of a variety of nonlinear processes were considered. The use of volatile fluoro-organic compounds, which reduce the surface tension when in contact with liquids, induced a self-organising capillary instability of optical and laser components with constant wave-like or chaotic motion of their surface layers.