Alignment of liquid crystal molecules for flat panel displays (NNS.4857)

The aim of this proposal is to organize a coherent and well defined effort to obtain a better understanding and efficient control of the surface and interface properties of the substrate-liquid crystal interface that play an essential role in the operation of liquid crystal displays(LCD's) and other LC devices. Every LC electro-optic device is based on the controllable anchoring of LC molecules on a (polymer coated) solid. The quality of the interface therefore determines the quality of the operation of such a device. The interface is particularly important in the new generation of cholesteric, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric surface stabilized liquid crystal cells. The microscopic understanding of the interaction between a macromolecule (liquid crystal, polymer) and a wall is also a major scientific problem that, despite its technological importance and thirty yeats of research, is still poorly understood. The main reason for this was the lack of surface sensitive techniques that could probe interfaces at the proper molecular level. therefore most attention was directed to understand the bulk properties whereas interface properties were only addressed by macroscopic, emperical studies like wetting and spreading. We propose to study the liquid crystal interfaces with novel, surface and interface-sensitive experimental techniques, such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Tunneling Microscopy(STM), Linear and Nonlinear Optical Microscopy and (Dynamic) Light Scattering (DLS). These experimental techniques will be complemented with computer simulations. In addition we will use supra molecular chemistry methods to develop controllable polymeric surfaces. The main application of the liquid crystals is the flat panel display with a 10 billion US market st present and a prediction of 20 billion US by the year 2000. Considering this huge market and the importance of the role of the surface interactions in the alignment of the liquid crystals, the industrial potential of this proposal has been recoqnized by a number of Dutch companies.

Scientific objectives:

1. Development of interface sensitive techniques to yield fundamental insight of interface properties on a molecular level.
2. Determination, understanding and manipulation of anchoring energies.
3. Understanding of the process, dynamics and stability of phot-induced alignment.

Industrial objectives:

1. Control of surface anchoring.
2. Control of specific tilt.

Determination of relaxation process (life time).

Deliverables:

1. Review paper containing all major findings
2. phD theses (3) on a )-Interface chemistry b)-Interface physical investigations c)- Computer simulation

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