Anchoring strength of o-, m-, and p -methyl red-dye-doped nematics on rubbed and unrubbed polyimide surfaces

Abstract

It is demonstrated that the photoinduced gliding of the easy axis for nematics doped with various azo dyes on rubbed polyimide involves the formation of a second easy axis on the polyimide surface. While some azo dyes, such as disperse orange 3, do not exhibit large surface induced nonlinear effects, other dyes, such as methyl red, do. The amount of reorientation of the easy axis on rubbed polyimide is determined by the relative anchoring strengths of the easy axis formed from adsorbed dye and that formed from rubbing. One question of interest is what is the source of the anchoring strength? In this paper, we discuss the formation of easy axes via the photo-induced adsorption of azo dye. We will compare the anchoring strengths between dyed nematic liquid crystals and the easy axes formed by photoinduced adsorption of three isomers of the methyl red azo dye, ortho, meta, and para, as well as disperse orange 3. We will also discuss the impact of the carboxyl group position in the dye molecule on the anchoring strength.