Influence of the structure of the director field on the optical propertiesof a nematic liquid-crystal droplet

The changes in the optical properties of a spherical, bipolar, liquid-cryst al droplet due to the change in structure of its director field under the i nfluence of an applied external field are investigated on the basis of calc ulations using the nested-ellipsoids model in the discrete-dipole approxima tion. Graphs are plotted for the attenuation efficiency factor and the angu lar structure of the scattered radiation for the two typical cases of stron g and weak dependence of the optical properties of the droplet on the chang e in structure of its director field. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physic s. [S1063-7842(99)01511-1].