Electric field-induced optical second harmonic generation in nematic liquid crystal 5CB

Electric field-induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) was studied for the liquid crystal 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) (a nematic phase material at room temperature). The intensity of coherent SHG from 5CB cells upon DC electric field was measured for various initial orientations of the liquid crystal. The dependence of the SHG intensity on the pump beam incidence angle was obtained in transmission geometry using sample rotation method. The experimental results (the registered light intensity in the output SHG interference patterns) were theoretically modelled and analyzed.