New Electro-Optic Effect in a Room-Temperature Nematic Liquid Crystal

Abstract

The influence of electric dc fields on spontaneously aligned doped films of the nematic liquid crystal anisylidene-$p-n$-butylaniline was investigated. Prior to the application of the field films were uniaxial with the optic axis normal to the substrate; under the influence of a field applied perpendicular to the optic axis films became biaxial. The magnitude of the induced retardation was measured as a function of field strength, and found to increase linearly with $E^2$.