First-order Freedericksz transition in a liquid-crystal light valve

摘要

Light feedback in a Liquid-Crystal-light-Valve can render the Freedericksz transition a first order one. A theoretical and experimental study of this first order transition is presented. An amplitude equation is derived, valid close to the transition. Depending on the values of the feedback parameters, both theory and experiment exhibit bistability, propagation of fronts and a Maxwell point.