Abstract
Electrooptical properties of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (LCs) are analyzed from the point of view of the order created by the electric field, dynamic changes of the order (orientation) parameter, and optical transmittivity. Optical phase retardation causes an optical phase shift and is related to thermal effects. Nonlinear optical properties are investigated from the point of view of self-transparency, nonlinear gratings, threshold degenerate wave mixing, optical bistability and second harmonic generation.