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Updated: Jun 21, 2025
Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Birefringence and Orientation Direction Control of Photoalignable Liquid Crystalline Copolymer Films Based on In Situ
Keigo Uemura1, Gento Nakajima1, Madoka Marui1
1Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Hyogo, 2188 Shosha, Himeji 671-2280, Japan.
Abstract:
Controlling the birefringence of optical films is imperative to fabricate thin birefringent optical devices. Here, new photoalignable liquid crystalline copolymers (PLCPs) with 4-formylphneyl benzoate (PA) and cinnamic acid (CA) side groups are synthesized, which attain high photoreactivity and controllability of the orientation direction. Additionally, the exposed films are treated with 2-aminofluorene (AF) for an in situ condensation of PA with AF to form a Schiff base with a high inherent birefringence. Birefringence of the photoaligned film can be controlled up to 0.45 without disturbing the photoinduced orientation structure.
