Coherent transmittance quenching effect in thin films of polymer-dispersed ferroelectric liquid crystals

The conditions for vanishing of the coherent component of radiation transmitted through a monolayer of polymer-dispersed ferroelectric liquid-crystal droplets are found. The influence of polydispersity and disorientation of axes of semispherical droplets on the conditions of interference quenching is studied. It is shown that these factors cause a change in the average size and concentration of droplets for which the quenching effect is realized. Data on the contrast ratio and the modulation depth of a monolayer, determined from the coherent component of transmitted radiation, are presented. It is shown that these characteristics can be considerably improved under quenching conditions for a film of polymer-dispersed ferroelectric liquid-crystal droplets.