Abstract

Nonlinear optical processes in liquid crystals have attracted strong attention because of large nonlinear susceptibilities χ⁽³⁾ in the nematic mesophase and the isotropic phase.¹ These nonlinearities are approximately independent of wavelength over the entire visible and near-IR region in contrast to other materials with large nonlinearities.² In nematics unusually large effects based on optical field-induced molecular reorientation have been observed by using low power cw laser beams,³ but reorientation will also occur if short nanosecond laser pulses are used.⁴

© 1989 Optical Society of America