Open AccessThe dynamic influence of photoisomerization on optical reorientation in absorbing isotropic liquid crystals
Author(s) -
Xiu Liu,
Peng Yang,
Liyong Ji,
Liying Liu,
Lei Xu
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.14.011709
Subject(s) - photoisomerization , liquid crystal , materials science , picosecond , dichroism , optics , excited state , azobenzene , kerr effect , doping , isotropy , femtosecond , molecular physics , photochemistry , optoelectronics , laser , polymer , chemistry , atomic physics , organic chemistry , physics , isomerization , nonlinear system , quantum mechanics , composite material , catalysis
The induced transient dichroism and the transient optical Kerr effect (OKE) response of azo-doped isotropic liquid crystals were studied in picosecond time scale. Photoisomerization occurs when the azo-dye molecules are resonantly excited. As a result, a significant enhancement of OKE signal was found in the dye doped liquid crystals with respect to the pure liquid crystals. The enhancement was attributed to the extra torque exerted on liquid crystals after anisotropic orientational distribution of trans and cis isomers were generated. A modified mean field theory model was applied to treat the interactions of trans and cis isomers with liquid crystals. A small-pump enhancement factor of 3.8 was obtained, which is comparable with that of the well-known anthraquinone dye doped LC system.