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Spatial And Orientational Control Of Liquid Crystal Alignment Using A Surface Localized Polymer Layer, Lu Lu, Tatiana Sergan, Vassili Sergan, Philip J. Bos
Spatial And Orientational Control Of Liquid Crystal Alignment Using A Surface Localized Polymer Layer, Lu Lu, Tatiana Sergan, Vassili Sergan, Philip J. Bos
Philip J. Bos
We present an alignment method for the surface contacting liquid crystal (LC) director. This method allows complete control of the polar pretilt angle as a function of position in a liquid crystal device, and has the potential of controlling the azimuthal orientation of LC. Important considerations of this method are to form a thin layer of reactive monomers at the LC cell interior surface, and to control the deleterious effects of flow due to polymerization induced concentration gradients. To achieve these, the voltage and frequency of the applied electric field and the UV intensity during the polymerization process are significant.
Surface Localized Polymer Aligned Liquid Crystal Lens, Lu Lu, Vassili Sergan, Tony Van Heugten, Dwight Duston, Achintya Bhowmik, Philip Bos
Surface Localized Polymer Aligned Liquid Crystal Lens, Lu Lu, Vassili Sergan, Tony Van Heugten, Dwight Duston, Achintya Bhowmik, Philip Bos
Philip J. Bos
The surface localized polymer alignment (SLPA) method allows complete control of the polar pretilt angle as a function of position in liquid crystal devices. In this work, a liquid crystal (LC) cylindrical lens is fabricated by the SLPA method. The focal length of the LC lens is set by the polymerization conditions, and can be varied by a non-segmented electrode. The LC lens does not require a shaped substrate, or complicated electrode patterns, to achieve a desired parabolic phase profile. Therefore, both fabrication and driving process are relatively simple.