• 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.11 no.12
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• pp.1128-1132
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• 1998

We have investigated the relationship between the polar anchoring energy and the surface order parameter in nematic liquid crystal (NLC), 4-n-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl (5CB), on the two kinds of the weakly rubbed polyimide (PI) surfaces. The observed polar anchoring energy of 5CB is approximately 2${\times}10^{-4}(J/m^2$) and then increases with increasing the rubbing strength (RS) on weakly rubbed surface (RS=57mm) with side chain at $30^{\circ}C$; same results are obtained on weakly rubbed PI surface without side chain. The surface order parameter of 5CB on rubbed PI surfaces increases with increasing the RS at a weak rubbing region. The surface order parameter of 5CB is strongly related to the characteristics of PI material. Consequently, we suggest that the polar anchoring energy of NLC is strongly attributed to the surface order parameter on rubbed PI surfaces.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.156-161
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• 2014

Anisotropy profile of a rubbed polyimide film is investigated using both a modified ultra high precision transmission ellipsometer and the analysis software previously developed to determine the optic axis distribution of discotic liquid crystals in the wide view film. The distorted sinusoidal variation of the ellipsometric constants obtained at an oblique angle of incidence indicates that the optic axis varies from $14.7^{\circ}$ to $40.6^{\circ}$ from the sample plane. The magnitude and distribution of anisotropy is expressed in terms of no, ne, and the cosine-shaped tilt angle distribution of the optic axis in a rubbed polyimide film.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1996.05a
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• pp.232-234
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• 1996

We have investigated the effect of molecular structure of polymer of rubbed polyimide (PI) films for surface liquid crystal alignment. To obtain surface alignment effect of Polymer molecular structure, we measured the polar (out of plane-tilt) anchoring strength and surface ordering of 5CB on rubbed PI surfaces. We have found that the polar anchoring strength of 5CB is depend on the polymer molecular structure of these unidirectionally rubbed PI surfaces.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.866-870
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• 2004

We have investigated the generation of pretilt angle for a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) alignment with rubbing alignment method on polyimide surfaces using plastic substrates. It was found that monodomain alignment of NLC is obtained with rubbing alignment method on polyimide surfaces using thin plastic substrates. The NLC pretilt angles on thin plastic substrates generated higher than that on glass substrate. Also, EO characteristics of the TN-LCD with a rubbed PI surface based on polymer substrate are almost the same as that of the TN-LCD with a rubbed PI surface based on glass. However, the transmittances of the TN-LCD with a rubbed PI surface based on polymer is less than that with a rubbed PI surface based on g1ass.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.514-517
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• 2002

We investigated response characteristics of twisted nematic (TN) cell with different nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) and cell gap d on a rubbed polyimide (PI) surface. High transmittance and fast response time of the TN cell on the rubbed PI surface were achieved by using high birefringence (${\Delta}n$) and low cell gap d. The response time of TN cell on the rubbed PI surface was measured 5.1 ms. The transmittance and response time of the TN cell on the rubbed PI surface decreased with decreasing ${\Delta}nd$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.18-22
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• 2004

We have investigated the generation of pretilt angle for a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) alignment with rubbing alignment method on polyimide surfaces using thin plastic substrates. It was found that monodomain alignment of NLC is obtained with rubbing alignment method on polyimide surfaces using thin plastic substrates. The NLC pretilt angles generated are about $3^{\circ}$ by the rubbing alignment method on thin plastic substrates, However, the pretilt angle are at about $1.7^{\circ}$ lower on the glass substrate than on thin plastic substrate. Also, EO characteristics of the TN-LCD with a rubbed PI surface based on polymer are almost the same as that of the TN-LCD with a rubbed PI surface based on glass. However, the transmittances of the TN-LCD with a rubbed PI surface based on polymer is less than that with a rubbed PI surface based on glass.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.07a
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• pp.487-488
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• 2005

We have investigated the Electro-Optical Characteristics for a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) alignment with rubbing alignment method on polyimide surfaces using plastic substrates. It was found that monodomain alignment of NLC is obtained with rubbing alignment method on polyimide surfaces using thin plastic substrates. EO characteristics of the TN-LCD with a rubbed PI surface based on polymer are almost the same as that of the TN-LCD with a rubbed PI surface based on glass. However, the transmittances of the TN-LCD with a rubbed PI surface based on polymer is less than that with a rubbed PI surface based on glass.

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

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.281-287
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• 2009

The optical anisotropy of rubbed PI(polyimide) film on patterned LCD glass substrate is analyzed using polarimetry. The direction of the optic axis and the magnitude of the very small retardation ($\sim$ 0.4 nm or less) is precisely measured by using a transmission ellipsometer. The variation of the optical anisotropy is presented as the curve of the optic axis versus the magnitude of the phase retardation and it is explained by using a simple optical model.