Sur la diffusion, par les cristaux liquides du type nématique, de la lumière polarisée

Experiments have been made on the scattering of plane polarized sodium light by an orientated preparation of azoxyanisole in the liquid-crystal state at scattering angles, [varphi], from 0 to 50°. It is found that the most intense scattered radiation is polarized at right angles to the vibration direction of the incident beam. The variation of the scattered intensity, [xi], as a function of [varphi] is given by [xi] = k/(sin [varphi])^1.6 and shows that scattering is due to large particles; a comparison of scattering in forward and backward directions indicates that the dimensions of these particles are of the order of 0.2 [mu]. The principle of reciprocity is found to apply to the liquid-crystal preparation, as is to be expected for a medium possessing an axis of revolution.