Molecular reorientation-based grating diffraction in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals with red pumping source

Abstract

We report the results of a grating diffraction experiment in which a blue anthraquinone dye, Disperse blue 14, is doped to nematic liquid crystal host and the sample is employed as a nonlinear media. The change of refractive index, caused by the photoinduced molecular reorientation, brings about the promising grating diffraction capability of a novel liquid crystal system. This system contains an anthraquinone dye in the absorbance band of red He–Ne laser, which is used as a pumping source. Accessible diffraction efficiency is 20% under optimum circumstances and analyzed results are in consistency with the expectations reinforced by the literature information of the other resembling liquid crystal systems.