Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, Vol.559, 91-96, 2012
Experimental Study of Laser-Induced Orientational Effects in Twist and Planar Aligned Azobenzene Nematic Liquid Crystals
Laser-induced orientational effects are experimentally studied in BAAB-1005 type azobenzene NLC. Excitation of cis-form of azobenzene was induced by green laser with 0.532 mu m wavelength. Nonlinearity was studied by He-Ne laser. 100 mu m thick twist-aligned and planar-aligned LC-cells were used in the experiment. During the experiment occurrence of ring pattern was registered on the screen, which was formed during long time (about 10 seconds). Depending on direction of He-Ne laser polarization two types of rings were registered in case of twist-cell. This means that we have two nonlinear mechanisms. In case of planar-aligned LC cell only one type of rings was registered.