Enhancement of photorefractive effect in the isotropic phase of liquid crystalline polymers
The photorefractive effect of the isotropic phase of liquid crystalline polymers was investigated. A large photorefractivity was observed in polymers which exhibit a liquid crystalline phase even though they were in the isotropic phase. The pholorefractivity was compared between the liquid crystalline polymers and amorphous polymers. The photorefractive effect was found to be significantly enhanced in the isotropic phase of the liquid crystalline polymers compared to that of the amorphous polymers with almost the same molecular structure.