Time-Resolved Anisotropic Multiple Light Scattering in Nematic Liquid Crystals

Abstract

Anisotropic multiple scattering of light is studied in monodomain nematic liquid crystals. In particular, the anisotropy of the diffusion constant is observed in time-resolved experiments. It is discussed how dynamic vs static experiments probe different properties: static experiments reveal the average step length of the random walk (transport mean free path), while dynamic experiments give the time evolution of the diffusion process (diffusion constant). For the time-resolved data, good agreement is found with (anisotropic) diffusion theory.