N-ベンジリデンアニリンを側鎖に有する液晶性高分子フィルムの光配向

抄録

Photoalignment is one of the most remarkable methods to induce a molecular orientation, based on axis-selective photoreaction. This technique is applicable to liquid crystalline (LC) display device, optical functional films, polarization diffraction device, etc. In general, photoinduced optical anisotropy is generated when a photoresponsive polymeric film is exposed to linearly polarized (LP) light. N-benzylideneaniline (NBA) derivatives undergo a trans-cis-trans photoisomerization similar to azobenzene derivatives with LPUV light exposure. Previously, we have found that liquid crystals polymer (LCP) with mesogens consisting of a Schiff base and phenyl benzoate exhibit large birefringence, and now we have synthesized LCPs with the Schiff base direction reversed (C=N→N=C) and examined their optical orientation.