Photoalignment of Liquid Crystalline Materials

Photoalignment possesses significant advantages in comparison with the usual ‘rubbing’ treatment of the substrates of liquid crystal display (LCD) cells as it is a non–contact method with a high resolution. A new technique recently pioneered by the authors of this book, namely the photo–induced diffusion reorientation of azodyes, does not involve any photochemical or structural transformations of the molecules. This results in photoaligning films which are robust and possess good aligning properties making them particularly suitable for the new generation of liquid crystal devices. Photoalignment of Liquid Crystalline Materials covers state–of–the–art techniques and key applications, as well as the authors’ own diffusion model for photoalignment. The book aims to stimulate new research and development in the field of liquid crystalline photoalignment and in so doing, enable the technology to be used in large scale LCD production. Key features: ...