Open AccessLaser beam propagation in nematic liquid crystals at the temperature close to the nematicisotropic critical point
Author(s) -
Yu-Jen Chen,
Yu-Sung Lin,
I-Min Jiang,
Ming-Shiun Tsai
Publication year - 2008
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.16.004078
Subject(s) - liquid crystal , optics , materials science , beam (structure) , laser , focus (optics) , critical point (mathematics) , phase (matter) , physics , quantum mechanics , mathematical analysis , mathematics
This study investigates the optical nonlinearity of beam propagation in homogeneously aligned nematic liquid crystal (NLC) cells at a temperature close to the nematic-isotropic temperature (TNI). The undulate propagation mode with convergent and divergent loops appearing alternately is reported and the thermally enhanced optical reorientation nonlinearity at the focus is described. The optically induced phase transition exists along the pump beam direction. With the application of the conscopic technique, the arrangements of LC at the focus are proposed in this study. Results of this study demonstrate that the evolution of the LC configuration was affected by the pump beam based on the analysis of conoscopic patterns.