Highly sensitive reorientation of a nematic liquid crystal by photoexcitation of space charge fields

Rainer Macdonald; Peter Meindl; Stefan Busch; Hans Joachim Eichler

doi:10.1117/12.326899

14 October 1998 Highly sensitive reorientation of a nematic liquid crystal by photoexcitation of space charge fields

Rainer Macdonald, Peter Meindl, Stefan Busch, Hans Joachim Eichler

Proceedings Volume 3475, Liquid Crystals II; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.326899
Event: SPIE's International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1998, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

A new molecular reorientation effect in nematic liquid crystals is investigated. The nonlinear optical effect occurs under the combined application of DC-electrical fields and low power illumination and has a very huge photosensitivity. Rather large nonlinear optical coefficients up to 6 cm²/W are obtained. Light intensities as low as 10^-3 W/cm² are sufficient for a strong photo-induced reorientation. Even a microscope lamp or a small torch provides enough illumination to induce remarkable changes in birefringence. The effect was first observed in liquid crystals of discotic molecules but is also present with calamatic, i.e. rod-like molecules.

Citation Download Citation

Rainer Macdonald, Peter Meindl, Stefan Busch, and Hans Joachim Eichler "Highly sensitive reorientation of a nematic liquid crystal by photoexcitation of space charge fields", Proc. SPIE 3475, Liquid Crystals II, (14 October 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.326899

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