Maskless process for pre-tilting liquid crystal molecules
AssigneeKent State University
InventorHiroshi Yokoyama
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of tilting liquid crystal molecules is presented. The method entails providing a substrate including a photoalignment layer on top of a layer of liquid crystal molecules. The photoalignment layer is exposed to patterned light that is incident on the substrate at a substantially normal angle. The patterned light is polarized in a polarization direction that is non-parallel to an incident surface of the substrate.
Claims16
A method of tilting liquid crystal molecules, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate including a photoalignment layer on top of a layer of liquid crystal molecules;
- apportioning the photoalignment layer into a plurality of longitudinal regions;
- and
- exposing the photoalignment layer to a patterned light one longitudinal region at a time such that the patterned light moves across a longitudinal region in a first direction along its length, then moves to an adjacent longitudinal region in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and then moves across the adjacent horizontal region in a direction opposite to the first direction,
- wherein the patterned light has a pattern including dark areas and bright areas, the patterned light being polarized in a polarization direction that is non-parallel to an incident surface of the substrate, wherein the patterned light is incident on the substrate at a substantially normal angle.
A method of tilting liquid crystal molecules, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate including a photoalignment layer on top of a layer of liquid crystal molecules;
- and
- exposing the photoalignment layer to a patterned light, wherein the patterned light has a pattern including dark areas and bright areas, the patterned light being polarized in a polarization direction that is non-parallel to an incident surface of the substrate, wherein the patterned light is incident on the substrate at a substantially normal angle, and wherein the light is an extended Laguerre beam.
A method of tilting liquid crystal molecules, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate including a photoalignment layer on top of a layer of liquid crystal molecules;
- apportioning the photoalignment layer into a plurality of longitudinal regions;
- and
- directing light at the photoalignment layer at a substantially normal angle of incidence and non-continuously such that light and absence of light alternate on a spot of the photoalignment layer, wherein the light is polarized in a polarization direction that is non-parallel to an incident surface of the substrate, and
- wherein the light moves across a longitudinal region in a first direction along its length, then moves to an adjacent longitudinal region in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and then moves across the adjacent horizontal region in a direction opposite to the first direction.
A method of tilting liquid crystal molecules, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate including a photoalignment layer on top of a layer of liquid crystal molecules;
- and
- directing light at the photoalignment layer at a substantially normal angle of incidence and non-continuously such that light and absence of light alternate on a spot of the photoalignment layer, wherein the light is polarized in a polarization direction that is non-parallel to an incident surface of the substrate, and wherein the light is an extended Laguerre beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.