A tool to evaluate the liquid‐crystal‐aligning properties of rubbed polymer orientation layers for LCDs

摘要

Abstract—The influence of various rubbing parameters on the optical phase retardation and pretilt‐angle‐inducing properties of rubbed polymer orientation layers has been investigated. A direct correlation has been found between the rubbing‐induced optical phase retardation of the polymer layer and the resulting pretilt angle induced by the rubbed polymer orientation layer in the liquid‐crystal layer. The observed correlation is independent of the rubbing conditions used to obtain the rubbing‐induced optical phase retardation. Hence, optical phase retardation can be used as a tool to evaluate the liquid‐crystal‐aligning properties of a rubbed polymer layer, without having to process the rubbed layer into a cell filled with liquid crystal. The possibility of using optical phase retardation as an in‐line control parameter of the rubbing process in an actual LCD production facil