The photorefractivity of 14 ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs) mixed with a photoconductive compound was investigated by two-beam coupling experiments. The influence of the properties of low-molecular-weight FLCs on the photorefractive effect was examined, and it was found that the photorefractive two-beam coupling gain coefficients and the refractive index grating formation time are strongly dependent on the properties of FLCs. The effects of the magnitude of the spontaneous polarization, the viscosity, and the homogeneity of the surface-stabilized state on the photorefractivities of FLCs are discussed based on these findings.
The photorefractive effect of a ferroelectric liquid crystal doped with a photoconductive compound was investigated. The photorefractive effect appeared only at the temperature at which the sample exhibits ferroelectricity. The refractive index grating formation time was measured to be ∼30 ms. In the ferroelectric phase, reorientation of the spontaneous polarization vector was found to be induced by the internal space-charge field.
The photorefractive effect of photoconductive-polymer-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs) was investigated. A photoconductive acrylate monomer and an electron acceptor compound were mixed with an FLC, and the mixtures were photopolymerized in the ferroelectric phase. A photoconductive polymer network was formed in the FLC medium, and a polymer-stabilized FLC was obtained. The photorefractive effect was evaluated by a two-beam coupling experiment. A large gain coefficient was obtained in the polymer-stabilized FLCs.
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