Abstract
Dielectric properties of n·CB (n = 5,6,7,8) liquid crystals (LCs) are investigated in the frequency intervals of 50-80, 120-160 GHz, and at 0.6 THz. The measurements are carried out in the millimetre wave range by the resonance method and with use of a reflectometer designed on the basis of a Michelson interferometer and quasi-optical metal-dielectric waveguides. Of most interest are the room temperature measurements of the birefringence of LCs. These measurements show that LCs can be used as polarisation transformers in the short wavelength region of the millimetre wave band and the long wavelength region of the sub-millimetre wave band. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.