Stabilized photo-alignment layer for liquid crystal

A method for forming a liquid-crystal photo-alignment layer on a substrate, comprising:

• coating a pre-determined surface of the substrate with a film of mixture, the mixture comprising an azo dye and a monomer, the azo dye having a light-absorption peak at a first wavelength and being configured such that orientation of molecules of the azo dye is rearranged according to a polarization orientation of polarized light irradiated on and absorbed by the film, the monomer having a light-absorption peak at a second wavelength and being polymerizable by absorbing light irradiated on the film, wherein the first wavelength is spaced apart from the second wavelength;
• irradiating the film with a first light beam that is polarized with a first plane of polarization and has a first spectrum including the first wavelength and excluding the second wavelength, whereby photo-alignment of the azo-dye molecules is achieved, causing at least part of the film to form the photo-alignment layer on the substrate;
• and
• after the film is irradiated with the first light beam, irradiating the photo-alignment layer with a second light beam that is polarized with a second plane of polarization and has a second spectrum including the second wavelength, wherein the second plane of polarization is same as the first plane of polarization, whereby the monomer is polymerized to stabilize the photo-alignment layer that is formed.