title: Applicability of geometrical optics to in-plane liquid-crystal configurations.
abstract: We study the applicability of geometrical optics to inhomogeneous dielectric nongyrotropic optically anisotropic media typically found in in-plane liquid-crystal configurations with refractive indices n(o)=1.5 and n(e)=1.7. To this end, we compare the results of advanced ray- and wave-optics simulations of the propagation of an incident plane wave to a special anisotropic configuration. Based on the results, we conclude that for a good agreement between ray and wave optics, a maximum change in optical properties should occur over a distance of at least 20 wavelengths.
authors.affiliation: Philips Research Europe, High Tech Campus 34, MS 31, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Maarten.Sluijter@philips.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sluijter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Urbach
authors.forename: D K G
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: de Boer