ZLI-1695 liquid crystal anisotropy characterization in the near infrared by generalized ellipsometry

One key point for an advantageous use of liquid crystals in optical devices for telecom applications is a proper design and simulation capability. For this purpose it is mandatory to know the optical behaviour of these materials at the wavelength of interest, i.e. the transparency windows of the optical fibers in the Near-IR region. To this aim, we have applied Generalized Ellipsometry, an extension of standard ellipsometry that allows optical characterizations of anisotropic thin films, for investigating liquid crystal samples. The optical anisotropy of the ZLI-1695 liquid crystal was measured as a function of the wavelength in the spectral range from 300 to 1700nm. Comparing our experimental data with those reported by the manufacturer (Merck) at a single wavelength, we have also estimated the ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices spectra.