Fig. 1. Experimental setup. (a) Side view and top view of liquid crystal cell structure; (b) experimental light path

Fig. 2. Field-induced change of transmitted light intensity and birefringence change of nematic N2 where biaxial contribution is excluded (working temperature is 23 ℃, amplitude of voltage pulse is U0=478V, and cell thickness is d=4.6μm). (a) Dynamics effect of nanosecond voltage pulse on transmitted light intensity; (b) dynamic change of field-induced birefringence δn in response to applied voltage U

Fig. 3. Field-induced birefringence change δn of six liquid crystals N1, N2, N3, N4, N5, and N6 with applied electric field E=1.7×108V/m (working temperature is 23 ℃)

Fig. 4. Field-induced birefringence change δn of N1 with electric field E1=0.38×108V/m, E2=0.75×108V/m, E3=1.1×108V/m, E4=1.4×108V/m, and E5=1.7×108V/m, respectively (working temperature is 23 ℃, and cell thickness is d=5.1μm)

Fig. 5. Relationship among field-induced birefringence change,applied electric field,and dielectric anisotropy of material (working temperature is 23 ℃). (a) Relationship between δnmax of different nematic liquid crystals with applied electric field; (b) dependence of β of nematic liquid crystal on dielectric anisotropy Δε; (c) δnmax as a function of Δε at E1'=1.7×108V/m, E2'=1.4×108V/m, and E3'=1.0×108V/m

Fig. 6. Characteristic time of electro-optic response of six nematic materials N1,N2,N3,N4,N5,and N6 (working temperature is 23 ℃). (a) Switching-on time τon; (b) switching-off time τoff

Fig. 7. Schematic illustrations of field-induced effects (rods present rod-like molecules of NLCs, and ellipsoids indicate optical tensors of NLCs). (a) Orientational order of liquid crystal molecules and orientation fluctuation in absence of electric field; (b) orientational order of liquid crystal molecules and quenching of orientation fluctuation under electric field applied