Random lasing control with optical spatial solitons in nematic liquid crystals

We discuss the synergy of reorientational self-focusing and random lasing in a dye- doped nematic liquid crystalline material. The laser emission resulting from amplification and multiple scattering inside the medium can be either modulated or triggered depending on the energy of the visible pump beam and the power of the near-infrared spatial soliton, respectively exciting the two nonlinear responses. Moreover, the presence of the self-induced waveguide improves the properties of the emitted beam, i. e., directionality and profile. Finally, the laser light can be re-directed by steering the spatial soliton with the aid of an external low-frequency electric field.