Patterning properties of liquid crystal alignment by anchoring control

A patterning method of the liquid crystal (LC) alignment by controlling a polar or an azimuthal anchoring energy of the alignment surface is proposed. The LC cell is assembled with a patterned substrate with strong and weak anchoring. We can experimentally control the azimuthal anchoring of the uniformly rubbed polyvinyl cinnamate (PVCi) surface by irradiating with a non-polarized UV light. The domain on the PVCi surface without the UV irradiation shows the homogeneous alignment of which direction is determined by the easy axis of the counter substrate, even, if the easy axes of two substrates are perpendicular to each other. On the other hand, the surface with the UV irradiation shows a strong anchoring and TN orientation can be obtained in that domain.