Surface stress anisotropy of treated glass and liquid crystal alignment

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Abstract
We measured the surface energy and its anisotropy both for a liquid crystal (7CB) and for some treated glasses which make the liquid crystal align. The treated glasses were prepared in the following five ways: (1) rubbing the glass surface with a cloth, (2) coating with PVA and rubbing, (3) coating with an inorganic surfactant of SiO and rubbing, (4) coating with carbon and rubbing, and (5) 60 ° oblique evaporation of SiO. The surface energy was obtained by measuring the contact angle of the liquids whose surface tensions are known. The interfacial energy and its anisotropy were calculated from the experimental results. The magnitude of the anisotropy of the interfacial energy is in good qualitative agreement with the orientational order parameter of the liquid crystal near the surface. Therefore, the alignment of the liquid crystal on the treated substrate is dependent on the anisotropy of the interfacial energy.

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