A technique has recently been proposed for determining the elastic constant ratio K_(22)/K_(11) in nematic liquid crystals [E. P. Raynes, C. V. Brown, and J. F. Stroemer, Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 13 (2003)]. This technique has been applied to five nematic materials that cover a range of K_(33)/K_(11) elastic constant ratio values. An unusually high value of K_(22)/K_(11) is found in one material. High values of the ratio K_(22)/K_(11) tended to occur in materials that also have high values of the ratio K_(33)/K_(11). The results are validated with independent measurements of K_(22) from cholesteric helix unwinding.
展开▼
