The evaluation of the Azimuthal Anchoring Strength and the Alignment Conditions of the Various Alignment Techniques (the AT (Alignment Transcription) Method and Photo-induced LC Alignment Method)

Abstract

We evaluated the azimuthal anchoring strength of the nematic liquid crystal cells whose inner surfaces were treated by the different kind of alignment techniques. One is the AT(Alignment Transcription) Method using polyimide films, and the other is Photo-induced Liquid Crystal Alignment Method using photoreactive SLCPs(Side-chain Liquid Crystalline Polymers). We found that the azimuthal anchoring strength of AT method cell decreased with increase in the transcription cell gap and the order was from 10^-5 to 10^-4 J/m². The order of the anchoring strength of photo-induced LC alignment cell with the SLCPs was 10^-6 J/m².