The effects of external applied voltage on the nonlinear optical properties of a dye-doped nematic liquid crystal by using a single beam

Abstract

We report the experimental data of typical liquid crystals (6CHBT and w1680) in the nematic phase doped with and without Sudan dyes. We investigated the effect of an ac-applied voltage on the nonlinear behavior of dye doped liquid crystal (DDLC). The z-scan technique is used to measure the amplitude and the sign of the nonlinear refractive indices DDLC. The amplitude of negative nonlinear refractive indices was (~10-5cm2/W). The nonlinear absorption coefficient β of DDLC was measured by using open aperture z- scan technique. Also the optical limiting (OL) response of DDLC was obtained. The novel effects on the far-field diffraction patterns of a Gaussian beam were depended on the external applied field. The measurements were performed using a CW He:Ne laser and CW Nd:Yag laser tuned at 632.8 nm and 532 nm, respectively. Also Gaussian beam propagated through a thin cell (sample thickness =11.8 μm).