NONLINEAR-OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF METALLORGANIC FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS

Second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiencies d(eff) were determined f or Pt-containing ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs). A relatively si mple method is presented which allows for the simultaneous determinati on of the second order susceptibility tensor coefficients d(ij) togeth er with the dispersion and birefringence at the fundamental frequency. The relation between the d(ij) coefficients is qualitatively interpre ted in terms of the molecular shape and of a scheme proposed for the m olecular orientation in the ferroelectric phase. Contrary to the usual situation with calamities, d(23) is much higher than the rest of the coefficients. This peculiarity, which reflects the 3D character of the molecular response, is interesting since d(23) is directly involved i n d(eff) for phase matched SHG.