27.4: Nanoimprinting Lithography as Novel Tool Inducing Self-Aligned Liquid Crystals For Alignment Layer

Abstract

Polymerizable nematic liquid crystal (LC) was applied as resist for our newly developed nanoimprinting lithography process. The LC resist was self‐aligned during imprinting process at very low impriting pressure, 1.5 bar and the patterned area was able to achieve 4×4 cm2. The optical anisotropic was verified through polarized optical microscopy (POM). The various thickness of LC resist was evaluated and compared alignment ability with polyimide, and isotropic resists. The micro‐grated LC films prepared by this novel method offer new applications for liquid crystal as alignment layer within LC cells as well as preparation of optical anisotropic films.