POLYMER FOR USE IN ALIGNMENT LAYER

摘要

A polymer compound for use in a surface-director alignment layer is provided, said polymer compound comprising: a polymer backbone comprising repeating units; a first side group attached to at least some of said repeating units and comprising a photo-functiona! moiety comprising at least one benzophenone moiety or derivative thereof; and a second side group attached to at least some of said repeating units; said second side group having a pronounced shape anisotropy capable of inducing vertical alignment of a liquid crystal material. A method of forming a surface-director alignment layer using the polymer compound, and a method of forming a liquid crystal cell using the polymer compound are also provided. By using a benzophenone moiety as the photo-functional moiety in a polymer compound for use in a surface-director alignment layer a desired pre- tilt angle of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal cell can be accurately controlled by photo-irradiation of the polymer.