Asymmetric Aberration Pattern at Light-Beam Self-Action in NLC Doped with Stilbene Dye

Abstract

Light-beam interaction with nematic liquid crystals doped with stilbene dye DEANS (4-diethylamino-4 0 -nitrostilbene) has been studied experimentally. For the homeotropic sample, a conventional ring-shaped aberration self-focusing pattern (related to the dye-induced orientational nonlinearity) and the memory effect were observed. For the planar sample, a complex asymmetric aberration pattern qualitatively different from the concentric-ring system was observed for the first time. The study of the phenomenon allowed us to assume that this pattern is due to the bulk photorefractive effect.