Refraction of nonlinear beams by localized refractive index changes in nematic liquid crystals

Gaetano Assanto, Antonmaria A. Minzoni, Noel F. Smyth, and Annette L. Worthy
Phys. Rev. A 82, 053843 – Published 30 November 2010
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  • INTRODUCTION
  • BACKGROUND DIRECTOR FIELD
  • MODULATION EQUATIONS
  • COMPARISON WITH NUMERICAL SOLUTIONS
  • CONCLUSIONS
    • References

    Abstract

    The propagation of solitary waves in nematic liquid crystals in the presence of localized nonuniformities is studied. These nonuniformities can be caused by external electric fields, other light beams, or any other mechanism which results in a modified director orientation in a localized region of the liquid-crystal cell. The net effect is that the solitary wave undergoes refraction and trajectory bending. A general modulation theory for this refraction is developed, and particular cases of circular, elliptical, and rectangular perturbations are considered. The results are found to be in excellent agreement with numerical solutions.

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    • Received 7 September 2010

    DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.82.053843

    ©2010 American Physical Society

    Authors & Affiliations

    Gaetano Assanto1, Antonmaria A. Minzoni2, Noel F. Smyth3, and Annette L. Worthy4

    • 1Department of Electronic Engineering, NooEL—Nonlinear Optics and OptoElectronics Lab, University of Rome “Roma Tre,” Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Rome, Italy
    • 2Department of Mathematics and Mechanics, Fenomenos Nonlineales y Mecánica (FENOMEC), Instituto de Investigacion en Matemáticas Aplicadas y Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 01000 México D.F., México
    • 3School of Mathematics and Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, Scotland, UK
    • 4School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia

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    Issue

    Vol. 82, Iss. 5 — November 2010

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