• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.671-677
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• 2018

In this paper, we investigated the vertical alignment characteristics of liquid crystals (LCs) on fluorinated self-assembled monolayers (FSAMs). For comparison, a commercialized homeotropic polyimide (PI) layer was used as an LC alignment layer. We confirmed the successful deposition of FSAMs and the change of FSAMs before and after rubbing treatment through contact angle measurement and atomic force microscopy. The optical transmittance spectrum of the FSAMs is similar to that of the homeotropic PI layer, which is a superior optical characteristic applicable to LC devices. When FSAMs were applied to the vertically aligned (VA) LC cell, uniform and vertical LC alignments were achieved. In addition, the voltage-transmittance characteristic of VA LC cell with FSAMs was superior to that of VA LC cell with the conventional homeotropic PI layers. These results indicate that the FSAMs are suitable as the homeotropic LC alignment layer for enhanced LC devices.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.362-368
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• 2021

A homeotropic liquid crystal (LC) alignment state on rubbed fluorinated self-assembled monolayers (FSAMs) is described according to alkyl chain length. A simple procedure, gas-phase method, for the preparation of FSAM was used. The average optical transmittance in the visible light range of FSAMs were 76.63% to 78.21%, which were superior to the conventional polyimide layer having a transmittance of 75.89%. In addition, the excellent homeotropic LC alignment characteristics of FSAMs were observed through pretilt angle measurement and polarized optical microscope images. By measuring the contact angles and the surface energies of FSAMs, it was confirmed that pretilt angles of LC molecules increased according to the alkyl chain length. High optical transparency and uniform homeotropic LC alignment characteristics of FSAMs showed the possibility of FSAMs as an LC alignment layers.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 2023

In this paper, we demonstrated the orientation characteristics of liquid crystals using UV-treated FSAM as alignment layer. Moreover we confirmed the FSAM properties before and after UV treatment on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates using physicochemical analysis. The hydrophobic property of the FSAM surface is change to hydrophilic through UV treatment. After UV treatment the LC molecules also were uniformly and horizontally aligned on the FSAM surfaces and the pretilt angle was obviously changed 90° degrees to 0° degrees. EO characteristic of TN cell which was fabricated with UV-treated FSAM was faster response time compare to conventional PI layer. The FSAM before and after UV treatment has a superior application potential as the LC alignment layer for LCD, potentially replacing the conventional polyimide layer.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.409-414
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• 2007

Wettability of solid surfaces with liquids is governed by the chemical properties and the microstructure of the surfaces. We report on the preparation of liquid-repellent surfaces using surface-attached monolayers of perfluorinated polymer molecules on porous silica substrates. A covalent attachment of the polymer molecules to the substrate is achieved by generation of the polymer chains through starting a surface-initiated radical-chain polymerization of a fluorinated monomer. To this, self-assembled monolayers of azo initiators are attached to silica substrates, which are used to kick off the polymerization reaction in situ. The growth of the fluorinated polymer films and the characterization of the obtained surfaces by surface plasmon spectroscopy, XPS, and contact angle measurements is described. It is shown that perfluorinated polymer films can be grown with controlled thicknesses on flat and even on porous silica surfaces, essentially without changing the surface roughness. The combination of the low surface energy coating and the surface porosity allows generation of materials which are both water and oil repellent.