• Journal of Information Display
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2011

To come up with a bistable liquid crystal (LC) device using unpolarized UV light, single-step laser patterning on a photoalignment layer using a photomask was proposed to achieve an equilibrium configuration of LC molecules in contact with a periodically patterned substrate. The patterns were formed by stripes of alternating random planar and homeotropic anchoring on a submicrometer scale in the order of $0.5{\mu}m$. Two possible configurations of bistable LC cells that can be obtained by combining a micropatterned surface formed with alternating random-planar- and homeotropic-alignment with planar- or homeotropic-alignment surfaces were proposed. The alignment properties of the two proposed models were investigated, along with the microscopic switching behavior of micropatterned nematic LC cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.11b
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• pp.324-327
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• 2001

Liquid crystal alignments on a rubbed polyimide layer were investigated by using optical transmission method. Using this technique, we also studied the pretilt angle of the polymer molecules near the surface of a side-chain polymer layer as a function of the rubbing strength. In particular, we obtained the optical characteristics of liquid crystal orientations and pretilt angles for LC cell photo-aligned by UV as well after rubbing alignment. High pretilt angle of 3.84 degree was obtained on the weekly rubbed polymide layer duribg UV irradation time of 60min.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.324-327
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• 2001

Liquid crystal alignments on a rubbed polyimide layer were investigated by using optical transmission method. Using this technique, we also studied the pretilt angle of the polymer molecules near the surface of a side-chain polymer layer as a function of the rubbing strength. In particular, we obtained the optical characteristics of liquid crystal orientations and pretilt angles for LC cell photo-aligned by UV as well after rubbing alignment. High pretilt angle of 3.84 degree was obtained on the weekly rubbed polymide layer during UV irradation time of 60min.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.355-358
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• 2016

We present the alignment characteristics of LC (liquid crystal) molecules on solution-derived HLO (hafnium lanthanum oxide) films fabricated using IB (ion-beam) irradiation. We then demonstrated that LC molecules can be homogeneously and uniformly aligned on the HLO film irradiated at an IB incident energy of 1.2 keV. Physicochemical analysis methods such as atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to verify the LC alignment mechanism on the IB-irradiated HLO film. In addition, the electro-optical performance of a TN (twisted-nematic) cell fabricated using the IB-irradiated HLO film exhibited characteristics superior to those of the conventional TN cell fabricated using a rubbed polyimide layer.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.185-194
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• 2018

Ultra-small optical anisotropy of a rubbed polyimide (PI) alignment layer is quantitatively characterized using the improved reflection ellipsometer. Twisted nematic (TN) cells are fabricated using the rubbed PIs of known surface anisotropy as alignment layers. Distribution of liquid crystal (LC) molecules in the TN cell is characterized using transmission ellipsometry. The retardation of the rubbed PI surface increases as rubbing strength increases. The tilt angle of the optic axis of the rubbed PI surface decreases as rubbing strength especially as the angular speed of the rubbing roller increases. Pretilt angle of LC molecules in the TN cell shows strong correlation with tilt angle of the optic axis of the rubbed PI surface. Both the apparent order parameter and the effective twist angle of the LC molecules in the TN cell decrease as the pretilt angle of LC molecules increases.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.302-306
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• 2019

We investigated a solution-derived $Y_2O_3$ film treated by ion beam (IB) irradiation as a liquid crystal (LC) alignment layer. With IB irradiation, homogeneous LC alignment was achieved irrespective of the annealing temperature. To verify the effect of IB irradiation, we conducted surface analyses such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As $Y_2O_3$ is a high-k material, the electro-optical properties of the twisted nematic (TN) cells were superior to those of conventional TN cells based on a rubbed polymer, with an LC rising time of 4.1ms and falling time of 2.9ms. The IB-irradiated $Y_2O_3$ is a good alternative as an alignment layer for fast-switching TN LC displays.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.378-378
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• 2007

In this study, liquid crystal (LC) aligning capabilities for homeotropic alignment on the $ZrO_x$ thin film by electron beam evaporation method were investigated. Also, the control of pretilt angles and thermal stabilities of the NLC treated on $ZrO_x$ thin film were investigated. The uniform LC alignment on the $ZrO_x$ thin film surfaces and good thermal stabilities with electron beam evaporation can be achieved. It is considerated that the LC alignment on the $ZrO_x$ thin film by electron beam evaporation is attributed to elastic interaction between LC molecules and micro-grooves at the $ZrO_x$ thin film surface created by evaporation. In addition, it can be achieved the good electro-optical (EO) properties of the VA-LCD on $ZrO_x$ thin film layer with. oblique electron beam evaporation.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.321-326
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• 2021

We fabricated BiAlO thin film by a solution process with a brush coating to be used as liquid crystal (LC) alignment layer. Solution-processed BiAlO was coated on the glass substrate by brush process. Prepared thin films were annealed at different temperatures of 80℃, 180℃, and 280℃. To verify whether the BiAlO film was formed properly, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis was performed on Bi and Al. Using a crystal rotation method by polarized optical microscopy, LC alignment state was evaluated. At the annealing temperature of 280℃, the uniform homogenous LC alignment was achieved. To reveal the mechanism of LC alignment by brush coating, field emission scanning electron microscope was used. Through this analysis, spin-coated and brush coated film surface were compared. It was revealed that physical anisotropy was induced by brush coating at a high annealing temperature. Particles were aligned in one direction along which brush coating was made, resulting in a physical anisotropy that affects a uniform LC alignment. Therefore, it was confirmed that brush coating combined with BiAlO thin film annealed at high temperature has a significant potential for LC alignment.

• 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 Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.430-430
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• 2007

In general, polyimides (PIs) are used in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) as alignment layer of liquid crystals (LCs). Up to date, the rubbing alignment technique has been widely used to align liquid crystals on the PI surface, which is suitable for mass-production of LCDs because of its simple process and high productivity. However, this method has some disadvantages. Rubbed PI surfaces include the debris left by the cloth and the generation of electrostatic charges during rubbing process. Therefore, rubbing-free techniques for LC alignment are strongly required in LCD technology. In this experiment, PI was uniformly coated on indium-tin-oxide electrode substrates to form LC alignment layers using a spin-coating method and the PI layers were subsequently imidized at 433 K for 1 h. The thickness of the PI layer was set at 50 nm. The LC alignment layer surfaces were exposed to an $Ar^+$ ion-beam under various ion-beam energies. The antiparallel cells and twisted-nematic (TN) cells for the measurement of pretile angle and electro-optical characteristics were fabricated with the cell gap of 60 and $5\;{\mu}m$, respectively. The LC cells were filled with nematic LC (NLC, MJ001929, Merck) and were assembled. The NLC alignment capability on ion-beam-treated PI was observed using photomicroscope and the pretilt angle of the NLC was measured by the crystal-rotation method at room temperature. Voltage-transmittance (V-T) and response time characteristics of the ion-beam irradiated TN cell were measured by a LCD evaluation system.