Light propagation in biaxial nematic liquid crystal polymers using the finite-difference time-domain method
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Authors
Choate, Eric P.
Zhou, Hong
Subjects
Liquid crystal polymers
Light propagation in anisotropic media
Finite-Difference Time-Domain method
Light propagation in anisotropic media
Finite-Difference Time-Domain method
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Date of Issue
2011
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Abstract
We examine the propagation of electromagnetic waves across a liquid crystal polymer
(LCP) domain using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. In the limit of perfect
LCP alignment, the order parameter s approaches unity, and the LCP recovers a uniaxial
alignment completely described by the major director n given by Leslie-Ericksen theory. We
use a Doi-Marrucci-Greco tensor model formulation for the LCP orientation to examine the
effect of less-than-perfect alignment. In a one-dimensional system with the orientation allowed
to vary across the gap between two glass plates, we first examine uniaxial orientations for which
s<1, and then we examine the effects of biaxial orientations, and in each case, we look at the role
of using different anchoring directions at the two plates, which can induce deformations in the
major director. Also, we examine oblate defect phases in which the sample is not isotropic but
still fails to have a well defined major director.
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Article
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Applied Mathematics
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This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.