Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-1996

Abstract

The spatial correlation function is calculated for thermal fluctuations of the liquid crystal director field in the core of an optical fiber composed of a main chain liquid crystal polymer in the smectic-C phase. Due to steric constraints on the liquid crystal polymer, the smectic layers orient perpendicular to the fiber axis, the liquid crystal director lies flat against the core-cladding interface, and a line disclination appears along the fiber axis. The analysis is based on a Landau-de Gennes expression for free energy, which includes ordinary smectic-C elastic terms as well as terms added to model the disclination. The correlation function is used to relate the scattering distribution and attenuation of guided light to the elastic constants of the liquid crystal polymer.

Publication Title

Physical Review E

Rights

© 1996 by the American Physical Society.

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