• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.146-154
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• 2024

In this paper, we present a convenient liquid crystal (LC) molecular alignment method using brush hairs as an alternative to the rubbing process in the LC display industry. Titanium strontium yttrium zirconium oxide (TiSrYZrO) solution was prepared using a sol-gel process, and the TiSrYZrO alignment film production and LC molecular alignment were integrated through a one-step brush coating process. As the curing temperature increased, the LC molecule alignment of the LC cell improved, and the formation of a physical surface anisotropic structure due to the shear stress caused by the movement of the brush hairs on the coating surface led to uniform alignment of the LC molecules. Uniform and homogeneous LC molecular alignment was confirmed through polarizing optical microscopy and pretilt angle measurement. Through thermal oxidation using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the TiSrYZrO thin film well formed of metal oxide was confirmed and verified to have excellent optical transparency. From these results, it is expected that a convenient LC molecular alignment method using brush hairs as an alternative to the rubbing process will be a viable next-generation technology.

• Proceedings of the Optical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.02a
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• pp.304-305
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• 2003

파장 355 nm인 Nd：YAG 레이저의 3차 고조파 자외선 레이저빔을 이용하여 색소첨가 폴리이미드 필름을 광배향시키고 이것을 사용하여 액정셀을 제작하였다. 광배향으로 제작된 액정셀의 특성을 알아보기 위하여 정렬성, 광투과곡선, 응답시간 둥을 측정하여 러빙에 의한 액정셀과 비교하였다. 그 결과 광배향 액정셀은 러빙에 의한 액정셀에 비하여 정렬성, 선경사각, 광투과도 등의 특성은 떨어지나 낮은 문턱전압과 빠른 응답시간 특성을 가진 것으로 나타났다.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2017

The universality of the quasi-linear relation between the order parameter S and the normalized birefringence ${\Delta}n_{rel}$, $S=(1+a){\Delta}n_{rel}-a{\Delta}n^2_{rel}$ is confirmed. It is verified that the refractive index of liquid crystals distributed with regular polyhedral symmetry is isotropic and it is given as $\frac{1}{n^2_{av}}=\frac{1}{3}\(\frac{1}{n^2_e}+\frac{2}{n^2_o}\){\cdot}S$ and ${\Delta}n_{rel}$ of angular weighted liquid crystals that are initially distributed with regular polyhedral symmetry, are numerically calculated. Also ${\Delta}n_{rel}$ and S of liquid crystals that are conically distributed, keeping the rotational symmetry about z-axis are calculated as the apex angle of the cone is varied. Based on these calculated results, it is confirmed that the quasi-linear relation between S and ${\Delta}n_{rel}$ is universal, independent of the details of the distribution function.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.594-598
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• 2019

We demonstrate an alternative alignment process using transferring process on solution driven HfZnO film. Parallel pattern is firstly fabricated on a silicon wafer by laser interference lithography. Prepared HfZnO solution fabricated by sol-gel process is spin-coated on a glass substrate. The silicon wafer with parallel pattern is placed on the HfZnO film and annealed at $100^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. After transferring process, parallel grooves on the HfZnO film is obtained which is confirmed by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Uniform liquid crystal alignment is achieved which is attributed to an anisotropic characteristic of HfZnO film by parallel grooves. The liquid crystal cell exhibited a pretilt angle of $0.25^{\circ}$ which showed a homogeneous alignment property.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.223-228
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• 2016

The birefringence of distributed, uniaxially anisotropic molecules like liquid crystals is calculated as the degree of ordering is varied. The relation between the normalized birefringence ${\Delta}n_{rel}$ and the orientational order parameter S is investigated. The distribution function, which enables one to monitor the degree of ordering of liquid crystals including randomly distributed ones, is introduced. Using this distribution function, a series of distributed liquid crystals with order parameters ranging from 0 to 1 are generated, and ${\Delta}n_{rel}$ and S of the correspondingly distributed liquid crystals are calculated. Based on the calculated data, it is revealed that ${\Delta}n_{rel}$ and S satisfy the quasi-linear relation of $S=(1+a){\Delta}n_{rel}-a{\Delta}n^2_{rel}$, where a can be approximated as $n_o{\frac{{\Delta}n}{4}}$. The anisotropy of molecular polarizability is also calculated, using the birefringence, and separately following Vuks' method and Neugebauer's method, and it is shown that the relations between S and the molecular-polarizability anisotropy are also quasi-linear.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.64-68
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• 2021

We demonstrate an effect of annealing temperature on imprinting process of BiLaO thin film for liquid crystal alignment. BiLaO prepared sol-gel process was deposited by spin coating on a glass substrate, and then transferred to a pre-fabricated aligned pattern which is fabricated on a silicon wafer by laser interference lithography. Thin film was annealed at different temperature of 100, 150, 200, and 250 ℃. From the polarized optical microscopy analysis, the liquid crystal orientation was not uniform at the annealing temperature of 200 ℃ or lower and the uniform liquid crystal alignment characteristics were confirmed at the annealing temperature of 250 ℃. From atomic force microscopy, the pattern was not transferred at a temperature of 200 ℃ or lower. In contrast, the pattern was transferred at 250 ℃. Anisotropy of the thin film was obtained by the alignment pattern transferred at a temperature of 250 ℃, and the liquid crystal molecules could be evenly oriented on the thin film. Therefore, it was confirmed that the liquid crystal alignment process by the imprinting process of the BiLaO oxide film was affected by the annealing temperature.

• Proceedings of the Optical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.07a
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• pp.142-143
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• 2005

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.161-168
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• 2014

New self-assembled discotic liquid crystals have been prepared through single hydrogen bonding between phenol and pyridine moieties, and their liquid crystalline properties were investigated. For the construction of discotic structure, we used phloroglucinol as a core molecule and trans-4-alkoxy-4'-stilbazoles with systematically varied alkyl chain lengths as peripheral units. FTIR results showed that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds between core and peripheral molecules are successfully formed, and the stability of the hydrogen bond is strongly influenced by molecular ordering. Discotic complexes exhibited different liquid crystalline phases depending on the length of alkyl chains around the discotic mesogen. The discotic complexes with longer alkyl chains showed hexagonal columnar mesophases, while the other complexes formed nematic columnar mesophases. These results indicated that the type of mesophase structure was strongly dependent on the alkyl chain length around the aromatic core.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.219-222
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• 2011

Integrated optical waveguide polarization converters are among the essential components for constructing various functional optical integrated circuits. The RM materials have been widely used in liquid crystal displays for fabricating waveplates. In this work, the polarization converters are fabricated by using a solution of Reactive Mesogen(RM) dissolved in liquid crystal(LC). In the middle of the polymer waveguide, a groove is defined by an oxygen plasma etching in a direction perpendicular to the optical waveguide. The solution of RM-LC is inserted to fill up the groove, and then liquid crystal is aligned in a certain direction by applying an electric field. After the alignment, RM materal is crosslinked by UV light so as to form a permanent waveplate. The phase retardation of the waveplate is determined by the width of the groove, and by the birefringence and the degree of alignment of the LC. Polarization conversion efficiency of 90% is obtained for the wavelength of 1550 nm.

• Proceedings of the Optical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.07a
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• pp.120-121
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• 2003

아조벤젠 고분자는 광 정보저장 및 광 스위치 소자 등의 응용가능성 때문에 많은 연구가 진행되어왔다. 이것은 바로 아조 분자가 가지고 있는 두 이성체 간의 광 이성화 과정에 의한 아조 분자의 정렬에 의한 광 유도 anisotropy가 생기는 특성과 더불어 아조 분자의 이동에 의한 표면 부조가 형성됨이 보고된 이후에 광 정보 저장은 물론 액정의 배향이나 phase mask로의 응용, 특히 photonic band gap(PBG) 효과를 기대 할 수 있는 주기구조 형성에의 응용성 때문에 더욱 관심이 집중되고 있다.