Abstract
We reported that in-plane alignment of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) is induced by a thin film of poly-(methacrylate)s containing pendant benzylidendenephthalimidine units upon irradiation with a linearly polarized light (LPL). In this work, we have examined photochemical behavior and LC alignment ability for both LC cells fabricated after LPL irradiation and EC cells fabricated before LPL irradiation. Both LC cells showed in-plane orientation of LCs. For LC cells fabricated after LPL irradiation, values of order parameter monotonously increased and saturated on LPL irradiation. Hence, values of S had a maximum for LC cells fabricated after LPL irradiation. This difference in LPL-induced photochemical behavior may be due to the difference in an air/polymer interface and an LC/polymer interface.
