Optical Kerr effect in nematic liquid crystals: a molecular dynamics simulation study |
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Authors: | KENJI KIYOHARA KOJI OHTA YO SHIMIZU |
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Affiliation: | 1. Special Division for Human Life Technology , Ikeda, Osaka, 563-8577, Japan;2. Research Institute for Computational Sciences, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) , Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8568, Japan;3. Photonics Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) , Ikeda, Osaka, 563-8577, Japan;4. Special Division for Human Life Technology , Ikeda, Osaka, 563-8577, Japan |
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Abstract: | Molecular dynamics simulations of the Gay-Berne model have been undertaken and optical response properties calculated for the isotropic and nematic phases. The components of the optical response were calculated for the coordinate system with respect to the director. Furthermore, the response for the components was separated into the orientational and collision induced contributions in order to analyse the mechanism of the optical response. It was observed, in particular, that one of the depolarized components of the response function does not vanish after long times for the nematic phase, unlike in the isotropic phase. This means that the orientation of the director can be permanently changed by instant irradiation with polarized light. The results give a microscopic picture of the optical Kerr effect in nematic liquid crystals. |
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