The switching properties of most liquid-crystal electro-optic devices
rely mainly on the reorientation of the average molecular direction (d
irector) within the bulk of the liquid-crystal layer(1). Reorientation
of the director at or near the surfaces of the layer usually has an i
nsignificant effect on device performance. Here we describe a differen
t configuration in which a nematic liquid crystal is placed between a
flat surface treated to induce a parallel anchoring of the director an
d a grating surface treated to give a perpendicular anchoring. We show
that this configuration leads to an effective azimuthal anchoring at
the grating surface that depends on the applied voltage when the nemat
ic phase has negative dielectric anisotropy (that is, the director has
a tendency to align perpendicular to the applied field). This leads t
o a voltage-controlled twist effect in the liquid-crystal cell that is
highly sensitive to the grating profile. Furthermore, this twist effe
ct possesses an electro-optic response which is far less dependent on
viewing angle compared to many other liquid-crystal display configurat
ions. We therefore suggest that this technology might find application
in the next generation of liquid-crystal displays.