Photo-excitation of space charge fields and reorientation of a nematic liquid crystal of discotic molecules

A new reorientation effect in nematic liquid crystals of discotic molecules, which occurs under the combined influence of DC-electrical and optical fields, has been observed and investigated for the first time. It is shown that an illumination with intensity as low as 10(-3) W/cm(2) is sufficient for producing a strong photo-induced reorientation process which indicates a rather large nonlinear optical coefficient. The dependence of the photo-excitation on the applied voltage as well as on the intensity and the wavelength of the light wave was investigated. Furthermore, a first model, which explains the experimental observations resulting from photo-induced space charge fields and related field-induced reorientation of the discotic molecules, will be discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.