title: A functionally separated nanoimprinting material tailored for homeotropic liquid crystal alignment.
abstract: In order to homeotropically align liquid crystals (LCs) at the nanosized surface grooves processed by nanoimprint lithography technology (NIL), we propose to design a hybrid-type homeotropic polymer material consisting of two distinct moieties with largely different thermo-mechanical properties and surface activity. Surface contact angle measurements and sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy allow us to conclude that the polymer film is a functionally separated composite suitable for the homeotropic LC alignment processed by NIL. As one of the potential applications using the hybrid-type homeotropic polymer, we demonstrate that the nanoimprinted grooves at the polymer surface can achieve a zenithal nematic LC bistability.
authors.affiliation: Liquid Crystal Nano-System Project, ERATO-SORST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan.
authors.forename: Jin Seog
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gwag
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oh-E
authors.forename: Kwang-Ryul
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Hak
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoneya
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Satou
authors.forename: Setsuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itami