Determination of Viscosity Coefficents of a Nematic Liqid Crystal Using A Shear Waves Relectance Technique

Abstract Dispersion equations for shear waves propagating in a nematic liqid crystal are derived from the Ericksen and Leslie's hydrodynamic equations. The complex refection coefficient of a shear wave at a solid-nematic liquid crystal interface is related to effective viscosity coefficients depeding on the orientation of the molecules with respect to the polarization of the wave. Some experimental results relative to paramethoxybenzilidene-butylanilin are presented.