We try to fabricate a defect-free ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) cell having anti-parallel rubbed alignment films. The zigzag defect is the boundary defect between two types of chevron domains, and the two chevrons in a conventional anti-parallel FLC cell have same energy. In order to distinguish these two chevrons, we adopt a combination of different alignment films which were rubbed with different rubbing strength. As a result, it is confirmed that the occurrence of zigzag defects can be more strongly suppressed as the difference of rubbing strength increases.
Acknowledgment
The authors thank Mr. H. Fukuro and Mr. H. Endoh of Nissan Chem. Ind. for supplying polyimide materials.