Three-dimensional electric field visualization utilizing electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation in nematic liquid crystals

Opt Lett. 2003 Aug 1;28(15):1338-40. doi: 10.1364/ol.28.001338.

Abstract

An electric-field-induced second-harmonic-generation signal in a nematic liquid crystal is used to map the electric field in an integrated-circuit-like sample. Since the electric-field-induced second-harmonic-generation signal intensity exhibits a strong dependence on the polarization of the incident laser beam, both the amplitude and the orientation of the electric field vectors can be measured. Combined with scanning second-harmonic-generation microscopy, three-dimensional electric field distribution can be easily visualized with high spatial resolution of the order of 1 microm.