• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.413-417
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• 2005

Orientations of liquid crystal molecules on a surface of a film of photoreactive polyvinylcinnamate were investigated in order to apply as an alignment layer of LCD. When the polyvinylcinnamate film was exposed to linearly polarized W light, optical anisotropy was induced in the film through a selective photoreaction. Liquid crystal molecules on a surface of the film was aligned along the oriented polymer chain direction through intermolecular interactions. Thermal and light stability of the photoaligned LC cell were studied by investigating LC alignment changes after the alignment layer was treated with heat and W light. When the film was exposed with linearly polarized UV several times, the LC alignment was induced only along the final UV exposure direction.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.290-294
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• 2008

Induction mechanism of molecular orientations for a rubbed polymer film as an alignment layer was investigated using polarized UV/Vis spectroscopic experiments for polyimide and polyvinylcinnamate whose conjugated electrons are located along main chain and side chain, respectively. By determining anisotropy formed in the rubbed film, LC director formed in the LC cell, and orientation direction of deposited pentacene molecules, it was found that LC orientation was induced mainly by molecular interactions whereas surface microgrooves formed by the rubbing process affect the orientation direction of deposited pentacene molecules.