title: Polar anchoring strength of a tilted nematic: confirmation of the dual easy axis model.
abstract: The polar anchoring strength coefficient W and polar pretilt angle theta0 were measured simultaneously for the liquid crystal pentylcyanobiphenyl at a rubbed polyimide alignment layer that is ordinarily used for vertical alignment. It was found that W proportional theta(2)0 over the range 0 degrees < or =theta0 less or similar to 35 degrees . The results provide a confirmation of the dual easy axis model, wherein the liquid crystal director adopts an equilibrium orientation theta0 at the substrate that is determined by competition between a pair of preferred orientation directions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7079, USA.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D016880:Anisotropy; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D003461:Crystallography / Q000379:methods*; D007094:Imides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D044367:Phase Transition; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D007094:Imides; D010636:Phenols