Controlling pre-tilt angles of liquid crystal using mixed polyimide alignment layer
Optics Express, Vol. 16, Issue 21, pp. 17131-17137 (2008)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.16.017131
Acrobat PDF (294 KB)
Abstract
Three approaches to controlling liquid crystal (LC) pre-tilt angle in a cell are demonstrated using a polyimide (PI) alignment layer on substrates, in the form of a mixture of horizontal (H) and vertical (V) polyimides. The concentration ratio of H- to V-PI, baking temperature, and rubbing strength influence the pre-tilt angle, and highlight parameters for controlling the pre-tilt angle of an LC cell. Finally, a variable polarization converter is demonstrated using this approach.
© 2008 Optical Society of America
1. Introduction
C. L. Kuo, T. Miyashita, M. Suzuki, and T. Uchida, “Crucial influences of K 33 /K 11 ratio on viewing angle of display mode using a bend-alignment liquid-crystal cell with a compensator,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 68, 1461–1463 (1996). [CrossRef]
P. J. Bos and K. R. Koehler-Beran, “The pi-cell: a fast liquid-crystal optical-switching device,” Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 113, 329–339 (1984). [CrossRef]
K. E. Vaughn, M. Sousa, D. Kang, and C. Rosenblatt, “Continuous control of liquid crystal pretilt angle from homeotropic to planar,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 194102 (2007). [CrossRef]
J. B. Kim, K. C. Kim, H. J. Ahn, B. H. Hwang, J. T. Kim, S. J. Jo, C. S. Kim, H. K. Baik, C. J. Choi, M. K. Jo, Y. S. Kim, J. S. Park, and D. Kang, “No bias pi cell using a dual alignment layer with an intermediate pretilt angle,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 023507 (2007). [CrossRef]
J. L. Janning, “Thin film surface orientation for liquid crystals,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 21, 173–174 (1972). [CrossRef]
G. P. Sinha, B. Wen, and C. Rosenblatt, “Large, continuously controllable nematic pretilt from vertical orientation,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 2543–2545 (2001). [CrossRef]
H. D. Jayathilake, M. H. Zhu, C. Rosenblatt, A. N. Bordenyuk, C. Weeraman, and A. V. Benderskii, “Rubbing-induced anisotropy of long alkyl side chains at polyimide surfaces,” J. Chem. Phys. 125, 064706 (2006). [CrossRef]
F. S. Yeung, J. Y. Ho, Y. W. Li, F. C. Xie, O. K. Tsui, P. Sheng, and H. S. Kwok, “Variable liquid crystal pretilt angles by nanostructured surfaces,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 051910 (2006). [CrossRef]
J. Y. L. Ho, V. G. Chigrinov, and H. S. Kwok, “Variable liquid crystal pretilt angles generated by photoalignment of a mixed polyimide alignment layer,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 243506 (2007). [CrossRef]
J. B. Kim, K. C. Kim, H. J. Ahn, B. H. Hwang, J. T. Kim, S. J. Jo, C. S. Kim, H. K. Baik, C. J. Choi, M. K. Jo, Y. S. Kim, J. S. Park, and D. Kang, “No bias pi cell using a dual alignment layer with an intermediate pretilt angle,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 023507 (2007). [CrossRef]
T. J. Chen and K. L. Chu, “Pretilt angle control for single-cell-gap transflective liquid crystal cells,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 091102 (2008). [CrossRef]
F. S. Yeung, J. Y. Ho, Y. W. Li, F. C. Xie, O. K. Tsui, P. Sheng, and H. S. Kwok, “Variable liquid crystal pretilt angles by nanostructured surfaces,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 051910 (2006). [CrossRef]
F. S. Yeung, F. C. Xie, J. T. Wan, F. K. Lee, O. K. Tsui, P. Sheng, and H. S. Kwok, “Liquid crystal pretilt angle control using nanotextured surfaces,” J. Appl. Phys. 99, 124506 (2006). [CrossRef]
2. Experiments
T. J. Scheffer and J. Nehring, “Accurate determination of liquid-crystal tilt bias angles,” J. Appl. Phys. 48, 1783–1792 (1977). [CrossRef]
3. Results and discussion
3.1 Variation of V-PI to H-PI concentrations
K. E. Vaughn, M. Sousa, D. Kang, and C. Rosenblatt, “Continuous control of liquid crystal pretilt angle from homeotropic to planar,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 194102 (2007). [CrossRef]
3.2 Baking temperature effect
K. E. Vaughn, M. Sousa, D. Kang, and C. Rosenblatt, “Continuous control of liquid crystal pretilt angle from homeotropic to planar,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 194102 (2007). [CrossRef]
3.3 Rubbing strength effect
3.4 Application: Fabrication of a polarization converter
R. C. Jones, “A new calculus for the treatment of optical systems,” J. Opt. Soc. A. 31, 488 (1941). [CrossRef]
4. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References and links
C. L. Kuo, T. Miyashita, M. Suzuki, and T. Uchida, “Crucial influences of K 33 /K 11 ratio on viewing angle of display mode using a bend-alignment liquid-crystal cell with a compensator,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 68, 1461–1463 (1996). [CrossRef] | |
P. J. Bos and K. R. Koehler-Beran, “The pi-cell: a fast liquid-crystal optical-switching device,” Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 113, 329–339 (1984). [CrossRef] | |
J. L. Janning, “Thin film surface orientation for liquid crystals,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 21, 173–174 (1972). [CrossRef] | |
G. P. Sinha, B. Wen, and C. Rosenblatt, “Large, continuously controllable nematic pretilt from vertical orientation,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 2543–2545 (2001). [CrossRef] | |
H. D. Jayathilake, M. H. Zhu, C. Rosenblatt, A. N. Bordenyuk, C. Weeraman, and A. V. Benderskii, “Rubbing-induced anisotropy of long alkyl side chains at polyimide surfaces,” J. Chem. Phys. 125, 064706 (2006). [CrossRef] | |
F. S. Yeung, J. Y. Ho, Y. W. Li, F. C. Xie, O. K. Tsui, P. Sheng, and H. S. Kwok, “Variable liquid crystal pretilt angles by nanostructured surfaces,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 051910 (2006). [CrossRef] | |
F. S. Yeung, F. C. Xie, J. T. Wan, F. K. Lee, O. K. Tsui, P. Sheng, and H. S. Kwok, “Liquid crystal pretilt angle control using nanotextured surfaces,” J. Appl. Phys. 99, 124506 (2006). [CrossRef] | |
K. E. Vaughn, M. Sousa, D. Kang, and C. Rosenblatt, “Continuous control of liquid crystal pretilt angle from homeotropic to planar,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 194102 (2007). [CrossRef] | |
J. Y. L. Ho, V. G. Chigrinov, and H. S. Kwok, “Variable liquid crystal pretilt angles generated by photoalignment of a mixed polyimide alignment layer,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 243506 (2007). [CrossRef] | |
J. B. Kim, K. C. Kim, H. J. Ahn, B. H. Hwang, J. T. Kim, S. J. Jo, C. S. Kim, H. K. Baik, C. J. Choi, M. K. Jo, Y. S. Kim, J. S. Park, and D. Kang, “No bias pi cell using a dual alignment layer with an intermediate pretilt angle,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 023507 (2007). [CrossRef] | |
T. J. Chen and K. L. Chu, “Pretilt angle control for single-cell-gap transflective liquid crystal cells,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 091102 (2008). [CrossRef] | |
T. J. Scheffer and J. Nehring, “Accurate determination of liquid-crystal tilt bias angles,” J. Appl. Phys. 48, 1783–1792 (1977). [CrossRef] | |
R. C. Jones, “A new calculus for the treatment of optical systems,” J. Opt. Soc. A. 31, 488 (1941). [CrossRef] |
OCIS Codes
(120.4570) Instrumentation, measurement, and metrology : Optical design of instruments
(160.3710) Materials : Liquid crystals
(220.1140) Optical design and fabrication : Alignment
ToC Category:
Optical Devices
History
Original Manuscript: July 21, 2008
Revised Manuscript: September 15, 2008
Manuscript Accepted: October 7, 2008
Published: October 10, 2008
Citation
Wei-Yen Wu, Chen-Chen Wang, and Andy Y. Fuh, "Controlling pre-tilt angles of liquid crystal using mixed polyimide alignment layer," Opt. Express 16, 17131-17137 (2008)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-16-21-17131
Sort: Year | Journal | Reset
References
- C. L. Kuo, T. Miyashita, M. Suzuki, and T. Uchida, "Crucial influences of K33/K11 ratio on viewing angle of display mode using a bend-alignment liquid-crystal cell with a compensator," Appl. Phys. Lett. 68, 1461-1463 (1996). [CrossRef]
- P. J. Bos and K. R. Koehler-Beran, "The pi-cell: a fast liquid-crystal optical-switching device," Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 113, 329-339 (1984). [CrossRef]
- J. L. Janning, "Thin film surface orientation for liquid crystals," Appl. Phys. Lett. 21, 173-174 (1972). [CrossRef]
- G. P. Sinha, B. Wen, and C. Rosenblatt, "Large, continuously controllable nematic pretilt from vertical orientation," Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 2543-2545 (2001). [CrossRef]
- H. D. Jayathilake, M. H. Zhu, C. Rosenblatt, A. N. Bordenyuk, C. Weeraman, and A. V. Benderskii, "Rubbing-induced anisotropy of long alkyl side chains at polyimide surfaces," J. Chem. Phys. 125, 064706 (2006). [CrossRef]
- F. S. Yeung, J. Y. Ho, Y. W. Li, F. C. Xie, O. K. Tsui, P. Sheng, and H. S. Kwok, "Variable liquid crystal pretilt angles by nanostructured surfaces," Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 051910 (2006). [CrossRef]
- F. S. Yeung, F. C. Xie, J. T. Wan, F. K. Lee, O. K. Tsui, P. Sheng, and H. S. Kwok, "Liquid crystal pretilt angle control using nanotextured surfaces," J. Appl. Phys. 99, 124506 (2006). [CrossRef]
- K. E. Vaughn, M. Sousa, D. Kang, and C. Rosenblatt, "Continuous control of liquid crystal pretilt angle from homeotropic to planar," Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 194102 (2007). [CrossRef]
- J. Y. L. Ho, V. G. Chigrinov, and H. S. Kwok, "Variable liquid crystal pretilt angles generated by photoalignment of a mixed polyimide alignment layer," Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 243506 (2007). [CrossRef]
- J. B. Kim, K. C. Kim, H. J. Ahn, B. H. Hwang, J. T. Kim, S. J. Jo, C. S. Kim, H. K. Baik, C. J. Choi, M. K. Jo, Y. S. Kim, J. S. Park, and D. Kang, "No bias pi cell using a dual alignment layer with an intermediate pretilt angle," Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 023507 (2007). [CrossRef]
- T. J. Chen and K. L. Chu, "Pretilt angle control for single-cell-gap transflective liquid crystal cells," Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 091102 (2008). [CrossRef]
- T. J. Scheffer and J. Nehring, "Accurate determination of liquid-crystal tilt bias angles," J. Appl. Phys. 48, 1783-1792 (1977). [CrossRef]
- R. C. Jones, "A new calculus for the treatment of optical systems," J. Opt. Soc. A. 31, 488 (1941). [CrossRef]
Cited By |
OSA is able to provide readers links to articles that cite this paper by participating in CrossRef's Cited-By Linking service. CrossRef includes content from more than 3000 publishers and societies. In addition to listing OSA journal articles that cite this paper, citing articles from other participating publishers will also be listed.





OSA is a member of 