Tunable nonlinearity in nematicon physics

A. Alberucci, A. Piccardi and G. Assanto

Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 558, 2-11 (2012)

Abstract:

We investigate light self-confinement in nematic liquid crystals with homogeneous planar distribution of the molecular director. Using comb-patterned electrodes we are able to vary the initial orientation, exploiting different degrees of nonlinearity by the electrooptic effect. We experimentally demonstrate tuning of the nonlinearity by studying both single nematicon propagation and planar interactions between two nematicons.