title: Cooperative liquid-crystal alignment generated by overlaid topography.
abstract: Nematic and smectic liquid crystals were introduced into μm-scale gaps between plates coated with polymer films nanoimprinted with parallel arrays of rectangular channels. Overlaying the channels on the two plates close enough at a slight angle produces a mosaic of alternating planar and homeotropic alignments and hybrid alignment, showing that complex liquid-crystal orientation patterns can be achieved by combining two simple topographic patterns. These alignment patterns are attributed to spatial variation of surface roughness and 3D topographic structure created by a sufficient proximity of the two patterns.
authors: Department of Physics and Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
authors: Youngwoo
authors: Y
authors: Yi
authors: Joseph E
authors: JE
authors: Maclennan
authors: Noel A
authors: NA
authors: Clark