title: Electrically controlled total internal reflection in nematic hybrid cells.
abstract: In this work, we show theoretically how the trajectories of an optical beam propagating in a planar-homeotropic hybrid nematic crystal cell can be modified by applying a low frequency electric field perpendicular to the cell. We use a previously developed formalism for describing the propagation of a polarized beam through the cell. We include a low frequency electric energy for the calculation of the equilibrium orientational configurations of the director's field. The presence of the electric field gives rise to trajectories showing a nontrivial dependence of the beam's range and penetration length with the intensity of the applied electric field.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-360, 04510 México, D.F., Mexico. cmendoza@zinalco.iimatercu.unam.mx
authors.forename: Carlos I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Olivares
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Reyes