Molecular Kerr relaxation theory for liquids in reorienting pulse fields

Abstract
Smoluchowski's rotational diffusion equation for molecules in the liquid state is solved by statistical perturbation calculus and applied to describe the time-evolution of the Kerr effect induced by a reorienting pulse field. General formulae are proposed for rectangular and cosine pulses as well as ones composed of the two permitting discussion of the rise and decay transients of birefringence on switching on and removal of the pulse.