• 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.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.195-202
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• 2015

We developed a reflection ellipsometer so that one can measure the extremely small optical anisotropy of a rubbed polyimide alignment layer, without being disturbed by the residual anisotropy of the substrate. The optical anisotropy of the alignment layer was measured as rubbing strength was increased, and the measured anisotropy was compared to the retardation obtained by using a transmission-type ellipsometer, to confirm the reliability of our reflection ellipsometer. With this measured anisotropy we could verify the formation of an alignment layer by rubbing, and could quantitatively evaluate the formation of the alignment 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.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.77-85
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• 2013

The precision of retardation measurement has been improved upto $3{\sigma}$ <0.005 nm after improvements are made to the conventional transmission ellipsometer. Improvements are made such that, i) the polarizer module instead of the sample stage is rotated, ii) the light source is replaced, iii) the starting points of two rotating modules are accurately synchronized, and iv) the fine background retardation is compensated. Together with the newly introduced RVD (Retardation Vector Difference) method, the improved instrument is successfully applied to characterize the ultra small optical birefringence of the rubbed polyimide alignment layer, after the residual retardation due to glass substrate whose magnitude is about 1.0 nm is properly subtracted. It is verified that the net retardation of the alignment layer ranges from 0.05 nm to 0.15 nm.