APS » PROLA » Phys. Rev. E » Volume 55 » Issue 2

Phys. Rev. E 55, R1271 - R1274 (1997)

Field-induced optical biaxiality in chiral smectic-A liquid crystals

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F. J. Bartoli, J. R. Lindle, and S. R. Flom
Optical Sciences Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375-5338

J. V. Selinger, B. R. Ratna, and R. Shashidhar
Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375-5338

Rapid Communication

Observation of field-induced optical biaxiality in a chiral smectic-A liquid crystal is reported for the first time. Optical transmission measurements as a function of electric field demonstrate that a material exhibiting a large electroclinic effect also exhibits a pronounced optical biaxiality. It is shown that the biaxiality is correlated with the electroclinic tilt angle and its field dependence can be qualitatively explained in terms of a simple molecular model involving reorientation about the long molecular axis.


©1997 The American Physical Society

URL: http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRE/v55/pR1271
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.55.R1271

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