One dimensional model of dye-doped nematic layer for holography

The layer of electrically conducting nematic liquid crystal doped with photosensitive dye and confined between polyimide coated electrodes can serve as a diffraction grating. In this paper, the deformations of the nematic director field induced in such a system by external voltage were studied numerically by means of one-dimensional model. The dissociation and recombination of ions were taken into account according to weak electrolyte model. The director orientation in the deformed layers and the distributions of the electric field and of the ion concentrations were calculated for blocking and for conducting electrodes. The effective extraordinary refractive index was also determined as a function of average ion concentration.