Solution-Derived Amorphous Yttrium Gallium Oxide Thin Films for Liquid Crystal Alignment Layers

摘要

We demonstrated an alternative electrically controlled birefringence liquid crystal (ECB-LC) system with ion beam (IB)-irradiated yttrium gallium oxide (YGaO) alignment films using a sol-gel process. The surface roughness of the films was dependent on the annealing temperature; aggregated particles on surface were observed at lower annealing temperatures, whereas a smooth surface could be obtained with higher annealing temperatures. Higher transmittance in the visible region was observed at higher annealing temperatures. The film had an amorphous crystallographic state irrespective of the annealing temperature. Furthermore, ECB-LC cell with our IB-irradiated YGaO film yielded faster response time when compared to ECB-LC cell with rubbed polyimide. Considering the fast response time and high transmittance, the IB-irradiated YGaO-base LC system is a powerful alternative application for the liquid crystal display industry.