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Degree

PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Chemical Physics, 2012.

Abstract

Controllable liquid crystal alignment with the assistance of reactive monomers is realized by the Surface Localized Polymer Alignment (SLPA) system. The SLPA system allows fully controllable liquid crystal pretilt angles, which could open new types of liquid crystal device fabrication techniques.

The SLPA method not only allows a fully controllable pretilt angle, but also allows different pretilt angles to be set in different areas. More specifically, the concept of this type of alignment is to polymerize a low concentration of reactive mesogens in a liquid crystal cell while a voltage is applied.

In the SLPA system, the polymer layer is designed to be only present on the cell surface. Since most of monomers are polymerized on the cell surface and form a rigid polymer layer which is preferably less than a wavelength of light in thickness, the light scattering issue can be solved.

Subject Headings

Information Technology; Materials Science; Optics; Physics

Keywords

liquid crystal alignment; electro-optical devices; reactive monomers

Committee / Advisors

Dr. Philip Bos (Committee Chair)
Dr. Liang-Chy Chien (Committee Member)
Dr. West John (Committee Member)
Dr. Deng-Ke Yang (Committee Member)
Dr. Han-bin Mao (Committee Member)

Pages

290p.

Document number: kent1351126403
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1351126403

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