Axial and polar orientational changes by rubbing/photoalignment processes in a liquid crystal alignment layer studied by optical second-harmonic generation

Abstract

Molecular reorientation by rubbing and photoalignment processes in polymer alignment layer for liquid crystals has been studied by linear optical absorption and surface optical second-harmonic generation. It was found that rubbing produces polar and axial orders in the photoisomerizable polyamic acid (PAA) containing azobenzene groups in the main chain, while photoalignment after rubbing destroys the polar order but is capable of reorienting the PAA main chain without creating further polar order.