| abstract |
In a liquid crystal device one interior surface of the cell is coated with a polymer (e.g., a crystalline polymer such as PET) which, when rubbed, produces alignment of the liquid crystal molecules, and the opposite interior surface is coated with a material (e.g., an amorphous polymer, such as PMMA) which, even if rubbed, does not produce such alignment. Also described is a combination of an aligning polymer and a non-aligning, non-polymer (e.g., a silane surfactant or bare ITO). This technique is particularly useful in producing alignment of relatively thick, ferroelectric smectic liquid crystal cells. |