Usage of liquid crystals in optical sensors of mechanical forces andmotion

摘要

Physical backgrounds for highly sensitive optical sensors of mechanical perturbations based on flow phenomena inliquid crystals are presented. It is shown that linear declinations of the optical axis of a nematic liquid crystal induced bya pressure gradient from the initial homeotropic orientation which are registered via polarized light can be considered asthe basic mechanooptical effect for sensor applications. The ways of optimization of technical characteristics of liquidcrystal sensors including usage of electric fields are discussed. The examples of sensors of acceleration, vibration andinclination based on the same principals are considered. It is shown that usage of liquid crystals provides an extremelyhigh threshold sensitivity and electric control of the main technical parameters of optical sensors