Alignment of surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal by the self-assembled monolayers of amphiphilic diacetylene derivatives

Surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal was aligned by the self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of amphiphilic diacetylene derivatives formed on an indium tin oxide/glass substrate to maintain bistability when ferro-electric liquid crystal with high spontaneous polarization was used. The SAMs were disposed uniaxially either after rubbing them or passing them through a meniscus at a three-phase contact between a substrate, air, and n-hexane before exposing them to ultra-violet (UV) light. Infrared transmission spectra, contact angles against water and time of flight secondary ion mass spectra have revealed that the modified surface was a sparse monolayer of the diacetylenes, and that they were polymerized by UV light.