Control and modification of nematic liquid crystal pretilt angles on polyimides
The pretilt angle (Θ p ) of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) could be controlled with alignment layer (AL) polyimides (PIs) and/or LCD processes in the case that a cell gap and a rubbing condition are fixed. Θ p was increased by introducing long, linear alkyl side chains and/or other nonpolar groups to...
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Published in | Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 36; no. 6A; pp. 3591 - 3597 |
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Main Authors | , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Tokyo
Japanese journal of applied physics
01.06.1997
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | The pretilt angle (Θ
p
) of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) could be controlled with alignment layer (AL) polyimides (PIs) and/or LCD processes in the case that a cell gap and a rubbing condition are fixed. Θ
p
was increased by introducing long, linear alkyl side chains and/or other nonpolar groups to the AL polyimide. On the other hand, Θ
p
was decreased by modifying the polyimide surfaces (with UV exposure or O
2
plasma) and LCD processes such as heating or cleaning the rubbed polyimide and annealing the LC-filled cell. Thus, the AL polyimide and the LCD process can be designed so as to obtain a desired pretilt angle, which is important in applications. In the UV-type two-domain twisted nematic approach for wide-viewing angle LCDs, two different Θ
p
s were obtained in one pixel and a mechanism for modifying the Θ
p
was discovered. Upon UV-exposing the PI films, aromatic or conjugated radicals with long lifetimes (greater than 2 weeks) were generated and some side chains were removed, and these PI surfaces subsequently became more polar since polar functional groups such as OH were introduced. The Θ
p
of ZLI-5080 on the UV-exposed/rubbed PI film decreased by 4.5°–8.8° in comparison with that on the rubbed film probably because the lower steric repulsion and greater electronic attraction would decrease the Θ
p
. |
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ISSN: | 0021-4922 1347-4065 |
DOI: | 10.1143/JJAP.36.3591 |