Alignment layer effects on thin liquid crystal cells

Factors affecting the thin cell performance of a liquid crystal cell are analyzed. Examples based on vertically aligned thin cells are given to illustrate these effects. When the cell gap is below $\sim 2\mu \mathrm{m}$ , the liquid crystal alignment material, layer thickness, and anchoring energy all play important roles. The first two factors affect the threshold and on-state voltage, while the last one affects the operating voltage and response time. Three reflective liquid crystal cells are studied experimentally. Good agreement between experiment and theory is obtained.