Recent Studies of Optical Limiting, Image Processing and Near-Infrared Nonlinear Optics with Nematic Liquid Crystals

The mechanisms for recently observed optically induced refractive index changes in nematic liquid crystals, and their use in novel optical limiting and image processing are reviewed, along with an assessment of their potentials for applications. We have also studied the optical nonlinearities of nematic liquid crystals in the near IR communication spectral region [1.55 µm]. Phase modulation of several π's can be generated with mW laser power in micron thick films.