Anomalous uniform domain in a twisted nematic cell constructed from micropatterned surfaces

Abstract

We have discovered an optically uniform type of domain that occurs in twisted nematic (TN) cells that are constructed from substrates chemically patterned with stripes via microcontact printing of self-assembled monolayers; such domains do not occur in TN cells constructed from uniform substrates. In such a cell, the azimuthal anchoring at the substrates is due to the elastic anisotropy of the liquid crystal rather than the conventional rubbing mechanism. A model is presented that predicts the relative stability of the twisted and anomalous states as a function of the material and design parameters.

Keywords:

• twisted nematic
• micropatterning
• self-assembled monolayers
• pretilt control

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Sharp Laboratories of Europe for financial support and N. J. Smith, S. A. Jewell and C. Rosenblatt for helpful discussions. This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Research Council, Grant No. GR/S59826/01.