Electric field effect on refraction of light in a layer of chiral liquid crystal with large pitch

The effect of an alternating electric field on the trajectory of an extraordinary light wave in a layer of a chiral liquid crystal with a 180° turn of the director is studied. In this structure, in the absence of the field and at a large angle of incidence of the light wave on the liquid crystal layer, the light undergoes refraction inside the layer. It is shown that the deformation of the director that arises under the action of the electric field changes the character of refraction of the extraordinary wave and the layer begins to transmit the light. The threshold voltage of this effect is determined. The dynamics of the effect is studied. At large voltages, in addition to the extraordinary wave, an ordinary light wave is observed in the light passed through the cell. The ordinary wave intensity is modulated by the initial frequency of the control signal, whereas the extraordinary wave intensity is modulated by the double initial frequency.