Nematic liquid crystal alignment on chemical patterns

BRAMBLE, J. P., EVANS, S. D., HENDERSON, J. R., ANQUETIL, C., CLEAVER, D. J. and SMITH, N. J. (2007). Nematic liquid crystal alignment on chemical patterns. Liquid Crystals, 34 (9), 1059-1069.

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Abstract

Patterned Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) promoting both homeotropic and planar degenerate alignment of 6CB and 9CB in their nematic phase, were created using microcontact printing of functionalised organothiols on gold films. The effects of a range of different pattern geometries and sizes were investigated, including stripes, circles and checkerboards. EvanescentWave Ellipsometry was used to study the orientation of the liquid crystal (LC) on these patterned surfaces during the isotropic-nematic phase transition. Pretransitional growth of a homeotropic layer was observed on 1 ¹m homeotropic aligning stripes, followed by a homeotropic mono-domain state prior to the bulk phase transition. Accompanying Monte-Carlo simulations of LCs aligned on nano-patterned surfaces were also performed. These simulations also showed the presence of the homeotropic mono-domain state prior to the transition.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Copyright © 2007 Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
Research Institute, Centre or Group - Does NOT include content added after October 2018:	Materials and Engineering Research Institute > Modelling Research Centre > Materials Modelling group
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1080/02678290701614665
Page Range:	1059-1069
Depositing User:	Ann Betterton
Date Deposited:	01 Oct 2007
Last Modified:	18 Mar 2021 05:01
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/899

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