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Updated: Sep 4, 2025

Measuring Magnetically-Tuned Ferroelectric Polarization in Liquid Crystals
Published on: August 15, 2018
Nontrivial phase matching in helielectric polarization helices: Universal phase matching theory, validation, and
Xiuhu Zhao1, Huaqian Long1, Hao Xu1
1Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, South China University of Technology, 510640 Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Second-order optical nonlinearity is the essential concept for realizing modern technologies of optical wavelength conversion. The emerging helical polarization fluid, dubbed helielectric nematic, now makes it possible to design and easily fabricate various polarization structures and control their optical responses. The matter family is demonstrated as an ideal liquid platform for nonlinear optical conversion and amplification with electric-reconfigurable tunability. We here develop a universal phase matching theory and reveal a nonclassic chirality-sensitive phase-matching condition in the polarization helices through both the numerical calculation and the experimental validations. The nonlinear optical amplification can be dramatically modulated with a contrast ratio of >100:1 by an in-plane electric field. Furthermore, we employ the director relaxation under electric fields coupled with nonlinear optical simulation to clarify the topology-light interactions.
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