Liquid laser cavities and waveguides. I. Drops and rings

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.