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Summary: Geometrical optics approach in liquid crystal films with three-dimensional director variations
G. Panasyuk,1
J. Kelly,2
E. C. Gartland,3
and D. W. Allender1
1
Department of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242
2
Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242
3
Department of Mathematical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242
Received 9 October 2002; published 10 April 2003
A formal geometrical optics approach GOA to the optics of nematic liquid crystals whose optic axis
director varies in more than one dimension is described. The GOA is applied to the propagation of light
through liquid crystal films whose director varies in three spatial dimensions. As an example, the GOA is
applied to the calculation of light transmittance for the case of a liquid crystal cell which exhibits the homeo-
tropic to multidomainlike transition HMD cell . Properties of the GOA solution are explored, and comparison
with the Jones calculus solution is also made. For variations on a smaller scale, where the Jones calculus breaks
down, the GOA provides a fast, accurate method for calculating light transmittance. The results of light
transmittance calculations for the HMD cell based on the director patterns provided by two methods, direct
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