Hybrid aligned liquid crystal display employing a porous material
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsAxel Scherer, Jean-Jacques P. Drolet, Demetri Psaltis
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Abstract
The present invention discloses nanomechanical fabrication methods of hybrid aligned nematic (HAN) cells of liquid crystals for creating analog spatial light modulators and smart pixel arrays on conventionally fabricated VLSI integrated circuits. The liquid crystal material is encapsulated between a top substrate and a bottom substrate. The locally averaged direction of the long axis of the molecules of liquid crystals of the HAN cells varies smoothly from homogeneous alignment on a top substrate to homeotropic alignment on a bottom substrate. The bottom substrate causes a homeotropic alignment of the liquid crystal because of its porous microstructure.
Claims20
A liquid crystal display comprising:
- a) a film located on a surface of a bottom substrate;
- b) the film having pores formed within;
- c) a liquid crystal material covering the pores;
- d) a top substrate covering the liquid crystal material;
- and
- e) the liquid crystal material being homeotropically aligned within the pores and homogeneously aligned near the top substrate.
A liquid crystal display comprising:
- a) a film located over a surface of a bottom substrate, the film comprising elongated pores extending partially into the film capable of providing homeotropic alignment of liquid crystal material therein;
- b) a top substrate transmissive of light adapted to causing homogeneous alignment of liquid crystal material near the top substrate;
- and
- c) a liquid crystal material disposed between the film and the top substrate such that the liquid crystal material is homeotropically aligned within the elongated pores and homogeneously aligned near the top substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.