Application to mechanically stable flexible liquid crystal displays using surface induced anisotropic phase separation

Abstract

We investigated the effect of surface wetting on the 2-dimensional anisotropic phase separation. The surface conditions were spatially modulated by laminating several types of alignment materials on the ITO substrate in a periodic square pattern using micro-contact printing methods. 2-dimensional phase separation was obtained without/with UV irradiation and the relative wettability of LC and polymer on alignment layer and ITO surface determined the diffusion direction of each material during phase separation. Furthermore the polymerized wall structures are different for different LC monomer mixing ratio. This technology can be applied to flexible liquid displays.