Liquid crystals photoalignment by films of side-chain azobenzene-containing polymers with different molecular structure

Liquid crystals photoalignment on the films of several side-chain azobenzene-containing polymers with various molecular structures was studied. Kinetics of the alignment and realignment of the liquid crystals director under irradiation by the polarized light was investigated and a comparison of the rates of polymers’ azobenzene moieties reorientation and director realignment were performed. The degree of the orientation, stability of the alignment, the possibility of multiple reorientation and other parameters of the photoinduced processes occurring in polymers films and liquid crystal cells were studied in detail. A rubbing technique was applied as alternative method for LC-alignment using these azobenzene-containing polymers. It was shown that the studied azobenzene-containing polymers can be considered as a photocontrollable command surfaces for the application in display technology and optoelectronics.