• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• v.58 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2023

In this study, we investigate the liquid crystal (LC) alignment of LC cells created from plant-based polysaccharide derivatives, such as guar gum. Guar gum films exhibit satisfactorily high optical transparency in the visible light region (400-750 nm). For example, the transmittance of polyimide films, which are the most typically used LC alignment layers, is 87%, whereas that of guar gum films deposited onto a glass substrate at a wavelength of 550 nm is approximately 99%. The observed LC alignment depends on the rubbing depth. For example, an LC cell comprising a guar gum film fabricated via rubbing at rubbing depths of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mm exhibits a planar LC alignment, whereas it exhibits a vertical LC alignment at a rubbing depth of 0.5 mm. Additionally, the LC alignment is shown to be correlated with the total surface energy of the guar gum films. When the total surface energy of a rubbed guar gum film exceeds 58.10 mJ/m², an LC cell comprising the guar gum film exhibits a stable and vertical LC alignment. Therefore, guar gum can be used to realize the vertical alignment system of LC via a simple adjustment of the rubbing depth.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.284-287
• /
• 2017

This paper introduces liquid crystal (LC) alignment and its electro-optical properties in the LC cells with silver nanowire (AgNW) networks. The AgNW network was used as an electrode of LC cell as a substitute for an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) film. LC alignment characteristics in the LC cell using AgNW networks, which have two different sheet resistances of $60{\Omega}/m^2$ and $80{\Omega}/m^2$, were observed. The LC alignment characteristics including pretilt angle, LC alignment state, and thermal stability are similar irrespective of sheet resistance of AgNW network. However, twisted-nematic (TN)-LC cell normally operated when using AgNW network with sheet resistance of $80{\Omega}/m^2$. Electrooptical properties of TN-LC cell exhibited competitive performance compared to those of TN-LC cell based on conventional ITO electrode, which allow new approaches to replace conventional ITO electrode in display technology.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2009.11a
• /
• pp.161-161
• /
• 2009

Ion bombarded inorganic materials for LC alignment has been researched as it provides controllability in a nonstop process for producing high-resolution displays. Many optically transparent insulators such as $SiOx$ and a-C:H have been investigated as potential candidates for inorganic alignment materials. Even so, LC orientation on a new material with superior capacity is required to produce high-performance displays. Many inorganic materials with high permittivities can reduce the voltage losses due to the LC alignment layer that are a trade-off for its capacitance. The minimum voltage for device operation can be applied to the LC under low external voltage using these materials. This means that low power consumption for LCD applications can be achieved using a high-k alignment structure in which the LC can be driven effectively with a low threshold voltage. Among the many other potential high-k oxides, HfO2 is considered to be one of the most promising due to its remarkable properties of high dielectric constant, relatively low leakage current, large band gap (5.68 eV), and high transparency. Due to these characteristics, HfO2 can be used in LC alignment to increase the capacitance of the inorganic alignment layer for low-voltage driving of LCs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2005.07a
• /
• pp.449-450
• /
• 2005

Alignment characteristic of liquid crystal (LC) on in-cell retarder which is composed of reactive mesogens has been tested. The in-cell retarder which is polymerized on top of the homogeneous alignment layer (AL) has an optic axis along the rubbing direction of the homeogenous AL and does show good alignment effect of the LC without showing any defects, which possibly allows a skip of another AL on the in-cell retarder that was required conventionally to control alignment of the LC. However, the measured pretilt angle is only 0.04 degree so that disclination lines are generated for a cell that uses the in-cell retarder as an AL when the LC is tilted upward by a vertical electric field.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.07a
• /
• pp.755-758
• /
• 2005

The mechanism responsible for liquid crystal (LC) alignment on solid substrates treated with mechanical rubbing or polarized UV is not understood. The results of x-ray reflectivity study of LC alignment on a large number of different alignment layers show that the anisotropy in the surface roughness of the substrate completely determines the LC alignment. The anchoring energy depends on the degree of roughness anisotropy and chemical interactions between the substrate and LC molecules.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.07a
• /
• pp.330-333
• /
• 2005

We investigated the liquid crystal (LC) alignment phenomena using a-C:H and a-C:F:H thin films. Homogeneous alignment is obtained using ion beam treated hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) thin films. Homeotropic alignment is obtained using F treated a-C:H thin films, namely, fluorinated amorphous carbon (a-C:F:H) thin films. We investigated the relationship between the surface properties of amorphous carbon based alignment layer and LC alignment phenomena.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.17 no.7
• /
• pp.506-515
• /
• 2009

We synthesized a series of polystyrene derivatives containing various side chain terminal moieties, such as phenoxymethyl, 4-methoxyphenoxymethyl, 4-fluorophenoxymethyl, 4-methylphenoxymethyl, and 4-trifluoromethoxyphenoxymethyl groups, using polymer analogous reactions, in order to investigate the effect of the side group on their liquid crystal (LC) alignment behaviors. The polymers containing 4-fluorophenoxymethyl, 4-methylphenoxymethyl, or 4-trifluoromethoxyphenoxymethyl side groups had lower surface energy values and the LC cells fabricated using the unrubbed films of these polymers showed homeotropic LC alignment behavior. The LC cells fabricated using the rubbed films of the polymers containing phenoxymethyl or 4-fluorophenoxymethyl groups showed homogeneous planar LC alignment behavior in which the LCs were aligned perpendicular to the rubbing direction. This homogeneous planar and perpendicular alignment behavior was ascribed to the favorable anisotropic interactions between the LC molecules and the side groups preferentially oriented perpendicular to the rubbing direction.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.9 no.6
• /
• pp.303-312
• /
• 2001

The fabrication of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels involves several thermal processes such as imidization of the alignment layer (AL) and annealing of the rubbed polyimide AL. The nature of these processes on the LC alignment, especially on the pretilt angle (Θ$\_$p/) has been systematically studied, employing various types of polyimide structures. The imidization effect depends on the nature of polyimid precursors; Θ$\^$p/ increases with the degree of the imidization for the main-chain type of ALs, due to the decrease in the surface polarity, but this relation is not applicable to the alkylated ones in which the steric effect at the AL surface by the aliphatic side chains is dominant. Annealing of the rubbed polyimide AL deteriorates its rubbing-induced molecular orientation and subsequently the overlying LC alignment, resulting in the decrease in Θ$\_$p/. Especially, annealing of the LC cell affects the LC-AL interaction as well as the AL orientation and thus its effect on LC alignment depends sensitively on the nature of LC-polyimide interface; aromatic moiety in the polyimide structure gives better thermal stability of LC alignment while fluorinated polyimide ALs induce the less stable alignment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.382-386
• /
• 2019

The alignment characteristics of liquid crystal (LC) molecules on a solution-derived lanthanum zinc oxide (LZO) film under ion-beam irradiation were demonstrated. Using the solution process, an LZO film was fabricated on the glass substrate and cured at $100^{\circ}C$. Afterwards, ion-beam irradiation was performed following the LC alignment method. Using this film, an LC cell was fabricated and the characteristics of the LC alignment were verified. Cross polarizing microscopy and the crystal rotation method were used to investigate the alignment state of the LC molecules on the LZO films. Furthermore, field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to explore the effect of the ion-beam irradiation on the LZO film. Through these, it was confirmed that the ion-beam irradiation induced surface modification, which demonstrated anisotropic physical and chemical surface characteristics. Due to this, uniform LC alignment was achieved. Finally, the residual DC and anchoring energy of the LC cell based on the LZO films were measured using a capacitance-voltage curve.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.26 no.9
• /
• pp.677-681
• /
• 2013

Apart from the deposition of alignment layer, alignment process needs to be involved for alignment of liquid crystal (LC) molecules. To simplify manufacturing process, several method were used such as rubbing, ion-beam irradiation, UV irradiation, and lithography. But, eventually it needs another treatment for LC alignment. Here, we suggested Si induced polyimide (PI) alignment layer at low temperature. Using this method, we are able to eliminate the alignment process and found that the alignment and electro-optic performance are much better than that of the rubbed PI LC cells. Compared to the rubbed PI cells, the response time was decreased by 70% and C-V characteristics have hysteresis-free.