Liquid Crystal Alignment Produced by RF Plasma Deposited Films

Exposure of surfaces to the reaction products of an rf plasma induces specific aligning properties for smectic and nematic liquid crystals. Oxygen etched indium-tin oxide (ITO) films and surfaces on which SiO2 or SnO2 is deposited show strong parallel alignment. ITO surfaces exposed to a CF4 plasma or surfaces on which a polyfluorocarbon film is deposited by a C2F4 plasma show strong perpendicular alignment. © 1977, The Electrochemical Society, Inc. All rights reserved.