FDTD method for light interaction with liquid crystals

Finite-difference time domain method(FDTD)for optical propagation through liquid crystal structures have been compared with analytical results. Conclusions about the accuracy of the FDTD method and possible sources of errors have been made. An algorithm that provides feedback between the change of the director distribution and the optical field has been proposed. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of our technique by considering the example of light propagation through a nematic liquid crystal cell with an applied electric field and photosensitive polymer on one of the substrates. The results give insight into the demands of the FDTD method for liquid crystal structures and demonstrate how it might be extended for more complex liquid crystal devices