title: Determination of surface nematic liquid crystal anchoring strength using nano-scale surface grooves.
abstract: Based on several nano-scale groove models, we propose a new technique to simultaneously determine the azimuthal and polar surface anchoring strengths of nematic liquid crystal (LC). The optical analysis of LCs on a grooved surface made by nanoimprinting lithography was performed on special alignment material, using a typical rubbing process. In our approach, using a polarizing microscope, we can determine the LC alignment exactly as it is in a parallel state, rather than a twisted state. This simple proposed method gives an accurate value of the surface LC anchoring of various surfaces, as well as simultaneously measuring the azimuthal and polar anchoring energy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronics, Hanbat National University, Dongseodaero 125, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-719, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yoonseuk
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Jin Seog
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gwag
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength