Surface-assisted orientational control of discotic liquid crystals by light

This paper reports photoalignment control of discotic liquid crystal (DLC). a pentakis-(phenylethynyl)benzene derivative, using a thin film of an azob enzene-containing polymer. The polymer films was irradiated with non-polari zed light obliquely, subsequently annealed at 240 degreesC and coated with a DLC solution to give a mono-domain texture of DLC films with excellent op tical quality. Photopatterning of DLC films was achieved by imagewise irrad iation of the polymer film at an oblique incident.