Computer simulations are made of polarizing microscope textures of supramicron-sized nematic droplets with director configurations which commonly occur in polymer and other dispersions. The simulations are computed from polarization rotations and phase shifts caused by nonuniform optical anisotropies of the nematic structure in liquid crystal droplets. The treatment is limited to the case of spherical droplets which are optically soft so that reflection and refraction at the droplet surface, as well as refraction on any internal structure, can be neglected. Simulated polarizing microscope textures of four different director configurations at different orientations are presented graphically. The simulated pictures are shown to compare well with observations of actual nematic droplets viewed under crossed polars.

Optical birefringence patterns of nematic liquid crystals constrained to supramicrometer capillary tubes with homeotropic anchoring are sensitive to the detailed bulk elastic properties of the nematic material. The bend-to-splay elastic constant ratio (K33/K11) is estimated by comparing the escaped-radial nematic director field observed via optical polarizing microscopy to simulated textures predicted by the Frank elastic theory.