Novel possible electro-(magneto-)optic effect in smectic-A liquid crystal cell

We present a novel electro-(magneto-)optic effect in a cell based on a utilization of homeotropically oriented smectic-A liquid crystal. One of transparent substrates of this cell is perfectly flat whereas a regular microrelief with a period ∼1 μm∼1 μm and amplitude ∼100–200 nm∼100–200 nm is created on a surface of another substrate. A smectic layer deformation, which appears in the sample due to this microrelief, induces a significant birefringence which can be governed by an external magnetic or electric field. It has been obtained an expression for intensity of monochromatic light passing through crossed linear polarizers and the cell placed between them. It is shown that intensity of this light can be efficiently controlled by means of a voltage ∼10 V∼10 V applied to the cell.