Dynamic self-diffraction effects in liquid crystals

The dynamic self-diffraction effects due to large optical nonlinearities of nematic liquid crystals via molecular reorientation are reviewed. The laser-induced gratings are shown to arise because two waves with ordinary and extraordinary polarizations propagate in a nonlinear anisotropic medium. Both threshold and thresholdless effects as well as nonlinear scattering in an initially nonhomogeneous medium are discussed. Direction of further work in this field as well as potential applications are indicated.