Liquid crystal alignment on carbonaceous surfaces with orientational order

We used near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy to Link the orientational bond order at three carbonaceous surfaces-rubbed pol yimide, ion beam-irradiated polyimide, and ion beam-irradiated diamond-like carbon films-with the direction of liquid crystal (LC) alignment on these surfaces. We show that, in general, LC alignment can be created on any carb onaceous substrate by inducing orientational order at its surface. Our resu lts form the scientific basis for LC alignment layers consisting of amorpho us carbon films in which orientational order near the surface is induced by a directional low-energy ion beam.