Modulation analysis of nonlinear beam refraction at an interface in liquid crystals

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.84.033818· OSTI ID:22072184

Assanto, Gaetano ^[1]; Smyth, Noel F; Wenjun, Xia ^[2]

---

1. NooEL--Nonlinear Optics and OptoElectronics Lab,University of Rome ''Roma Tre'', Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Rome (Italy)
2. School of Mathematics and Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, Scotland (United Kingdom)

A theoretical investigation of solitary wave refraction in nematic liquid crystals is undertaken. A modulation theory based on a Lagrangian formulation of the governing optical solitary wave equations is developed. The resulting low-dimensional equations are found to give solutions in excellent agreement with full numerical solutions of the governing equations, as well as with previous experimental studies. The analysis deals with a number of types of refraction from a more to a less optically dense medium, the most famous being the Goos-Haenchen shift upon total internal reflection.

• OSTI ID: 22072184
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Vol. 84, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BEAMS
LAGRANGIAN FUNCTION
LIQUID CRYSTALS
MODULATION
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
REFLECTION
REFRACTION
WAVE EQUATIONS