METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ORIENTATION OF LIQUID CRYSTAL

摘要

PURPOSE:To obtain a ferroelectric liquid crystal element having excellent displaying and driving characteristics by selecting the thickness of a liquid crystal layer in the prescribed region of a liquid crystal cell and the spiral pitch at the CH phase thereof thereby realizing the uniform initial orientation state of a monodomain and the bistability. CONSTITUTION:Striped transparent electrode patterns 22a, 22b intersecting approximately orthogonally with each other are formed to each of a pair of parallel glass substrates 21a, 21b and org. high-polymer films are coated on the substrate surfaces. The surfaces of said films are subjected to a rubbing treatment as a uniaxial orientation treatment. Polarizers of crossed Nicols are disposed on both sides of the substrates 21a and 21b. The cholesteric liquid crystal contg. the liquid crystal having the left-hand spiral direction at the cholesteric phase and the liquid crystal having the right-hand spiral direction at the cholesteric phase in the state of maintaining contact with the substrate surfaces subjected to such uniaxial orientation treatment is successively transferred in the phase to the smectic A phase and chiral smectic phase by the temp. decrease. The uniform initial orientation state of the monodomain and the bistability are thus realized.