Inclined Homeotropic Alignment by Irradiation of Unpolarized UV Light

Abstract

Inclined homeotropic alignment was realized by irradiation of unpolarized ultraviolet light on a polyimide film that originally exhibited homeotropic alignment. Unpolarized UV light was irradiated from an oblique direction (45-degree inclined angle) once. The liquid crystal cell with a pair of inclined homeotropic aligned substrates and nematic liquid crystal with negative dielectric anisotropy exhibits a high contrast ratio (over 1000) with a crossed Nicols configuration and a bright transmittance (same as a TN cell, around 35%).