Nanopatterned anchoring layers for liquid crystals

Abstract

This thesis describes the theory and fabrication of inhomogeneous Liquid Crystal anchoring layers. While chemical anchoring techniques have proved useful for many applications, especially Liquid Crystal Displays, they have thus far been unable to demonstrate the ability to provide anchoring energy that varies with high spatial frequencies. This thesis describes the use of nano-grooves patterned with electron beam lithography as a novel way to provide varied anchoring energies for Liquid Crystal devices. A Liquid Crystal beam deflector is discussed and designed with computational simulations as a possible application for varied anchoring layers. Anchoring grooves are patterned onto fused silica substrates, then their anchoring energies are measured using optical methods. It is shown that nanopatterned grooves are capable of producing anchoring energies which can span an order of magnitude or more across a single substrate and vary across extremely small regions (< 1 [mu]m).