Operation of an electrically controlled beam steering device based on Rochon prism made by use of nematic liquid crystal is modelled numerically. Deflection angles and angular distribution of light intensity in the deflected beam are calculated. Dynamics of the device is studied. Advantage of application of dual frequency nematic liquid crystal is demonstrated. Role of flexoelectric properties of the nematic is analyzed.

In the present investigation optical, electro-optical and dielectric properties have been measured for nematic liquid crystal (NLC) material 1550C which consists of 4’-(trans, trans-4-alkylbicyclohexyl) carbonates and 4’-(4-(trans,trans-4-alkyl)-4-cyanobicyclohexane, dispersed with fluorescent dye (Benzo 2,1,3 Thiadiazole) in two different concentrations. Photoluminescence has been enhanced for a dye dispersed system which is the key finding of this investigation. UV absorbance study has also been performed and found to be increased for composite system. Enhanced birefringence after dispersion of dye into pure NLC is also a prominent result of this investigation. Relative permittivity, threshold voltage and dielectric anisotropy have also been measured and found to be increased. The outcome of the present work may be very useful in the construction of liquid crystal displays (LCDs).

In the present work TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) have been dispersed into three different nematic liquid crystals (2020, 1823A and 1550C) in different concentration. The value of the birefringence (Δn) has been calculated by the transmitted intensity method at a 632.8 nm wavelength. NLC 2020 used in the present study is a high birefringent material (Δn = 0.44), NLC 1550C is a low birefringent material (Δn = 0.067) and NLC 1823A is a mid birefringent material (Δn = 0.14). An increased value of birefringence has been found after dispersion of TiO₂ NPs in all three NLCs but this increment depends upon the concentration of the dopant material, temperature range and chemical character of the mixtures. It is suggested that this LC materials can be applicable in making of phase shifters, compensators and many more photonic devices.

There exists a need in a quality and accuracy of a three-dimensional laser metrology operating in numerically controlled automatic machines. For this purpose, one sends three laser beams mutually perpendicular. These three beams of the wavelength λ = 0.6328 μm are generated by the same laser and are directed along three independent, orthogonal, mutually perpendicular, optical paths with a given light polarization plain. Using these beams, constituting the frame of coordinates, three independent laser rangefinders are able to determine spatial coordinates of a working tool or a workpiece. To form these optical pulses, a special refractive index matched Half-Wave Plate with nematic Liquid Crystal (LCHWP) was applied. The presented half-wave plate is based on a single Twisted Nematic (TN) cell (with the twist angle Φ = π/2) of a rather high cell gap d ~15 μm filled with a newly developed High-Birefringence Nematic Liquid Crystal Mixture (HBLCM) of optical anisotropy as high as Δn ~0.40 at λ = 0.6328 μm, where the Mauguin limit above 5.00 ~ Δnd >> λ/2 = 0.32 is fulfilled.

The molecular dynamics of the well-known nematic liquid crystal 4-n-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl geometrically restricted in Anopore and Synpor porous membranes with various pore structure and treated by different surfactants (namely decanoic acid and lecithin) is compared. In the Anopore membrane the chosen surfactants induce the homeotropic orientation of the molecules on the walls of the cylindrical pores and observed corresponding relaxation processes (librational modes) are practically the same. The dielectric measurements of lecithin treated Synpor membranes reveals the reorientation of the molecules from planar to homeotropic on the complex multilayer structure present in their volume. The dielectric strengths of the observed two molecular processes (δ-process and librational mode) are inversed in the ratio compared to the untreated membranes. The observed differences in molecular dynamics results from the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in untreated and treated membranes and the structure of the membranes themselves.

Photoactive nanofilled nematic is proposed. Stable three-component photoresponsive nanocomposite was prepared from photo-insensitive nanofilled nematic by inclusion of 3 wt.% azobenzene-containing photoactive mesogen 4-(4′-ethoxyphenylazo)phenyl hexanoate (EPH). The host nanofilled nematic was produced from the room-temperature nematic liquid crystal 4-n-heptyl cyanobiphenyl (7CB) and 3 wt.% filler of Aerosil 300 hydrophilic silica nanospheres of size 7 nm. Apparent effect of stimulation with a relatively weak continuous illumination by UV light (375 nm wavelength) takes place for both the alternating-current electric field-dependent optical transmittance and the electro-optic amplitude-frequency modulation by thin films (25 µm thick) of the EPH/aerosil/7CB nanocomposite. The light-stimulated electro-optics of EPH-doped aerosil/7CB films and the corresponding reversible light control are achieved through trans-cis-trans photoisomerization of the photoactive agent EPH. As such, the initial electro-optical response of the studied photoactive nanocomposites is recovered with continuous blue-light illumination. The examined EPH/aerosil/7CB nanocomposites exhibit photo-controllable electro-optical response that is of practical interest.