Abstract
Information on molecular reorientational dynamics in nematic and isotropic phases has been obtained by a simple combination of time resolved and steady state fluorescence measurements on the dyes DMANS and DPH dissolved in homeotropically aligned samples of EBBA (4-ethoxybenzylidene-4′-n-butylaniline) and 5CB (4-n-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl) respectively. In particular, two reorientational correlation times τr 0 and τr 2 have been identified. Their evolution with temperature, both in the nematic and well within the isotropic phase, has been studied and evaluated using stochastic models for the molecular reorientational dynamics.