A. S. Zolot'ko, M. P. Smaev, S. A. Shvetsov, N. I. Boiko, M. I. Barnik, “Light-induced first-order orientational transitions in a nematic liquid crystal in the presence of an ordinary wave”, Kvantovaya Elektronika, 2012, Volume 42, Number 4,Pages <nobr>327

This article is cited in 7 papers

Nonlinear optical phenomena

Light-induced first-order orientational transitions in a nematic liquid crystal in the presence of an ordinary wave

A. S. Zolot'ko^a, M. P. Smaev^a, S. A. Shvetsov^ab, N. I. Boiko^c, M. I. Barnik^d

^a P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
^b Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudnyi, Moskovskaya obl.
^c Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Chemistry
^d Institute of Cristallography Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow

Abstract: The effects of light-induced reorientation of the director of a nematic liquid crystal doped with dendrimer are investigated experimentally. The influence of light polarisation on the firstorder orientational transition that occurs with changing the light beam power is studied. An irreversible first-order orientational transition when changing the polarisation of light is discovered and examined. A theoretical description of the observed effects is presented.

Keywords: nematic liquid crystals, dendrimers, light-induced reorientation, orientational transitions, optical bistability.

PACS: 42.65.Pc, 42.70.Df, 61.30.Gd, 42.65.Jx

Received: 21.11.2011