Molecular alignment in nanofilm crystal polarizers and retarders

Leonid Ignatov; Pavel I. Lazarev; Victor Nazarov; Natalya Ovchinnikova; Michael Paukshto

doi:10.1117/12.451032

15 November 2002 Molecular alignment in nano-film crystal polarizers and retarders

Leonid Ignatov, Pavel I. Lazarev, Victor Nazarov, Natalya Ovchinnikova, Michael Paukshto

Proceedings Volume 4807, Physical Chemistry of Interfaces and Nanomaterials; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.451032
Event: International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology, 2002, Seattle, WA, United States

Abstract

We introduce a new group of organic materials and method for the three-step nano-film crystallization of these materials on the surface of glass or plastic. Materials are based on polycyclic aromatic compounds. Chemical modification of compounds changes hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance of disk-shaped molecules and makes them water-soluble with aggregation into rod-like supramolecules in aqueous solution and subsequent formation of supramolecular lyomesophases. Coating techniques provide control of crystallographic axes direction of the final crystal film. Shear force that is applied during deposition controls alignment of supramolecules. Structure of liquid material, wet coating and resulting 100-700 nm thin crystal films has been studied optically and by X-ray diffraction. The properties of the molecular material dictate the properties of Thin Crystal Film (TCF), which exhibit the layered molecular structure with interlayer distance equal to thickness of flat molecules (0.336 nm). Molecular alignment during the shear deposition of Lyotropic Liquid Crystal (LLC) results in formation of film with a strong preferred orientation. TCF order parameter determined from both X-ray analysis and optical data is about 0.9. TCFs exhibit a high optical anisotropy and birefringence which makes them unique nano-scale polarizing films and high efficiency retarders. New submicron film retarders have high refraction coefficient anisotropy. Birefringence varies from 0.3 to 1.0 for 380-900nm wavelength range. TCF polarizers and retarders provide new options for LCD designs.

Citation Download Citation

Leonid Ignatov, Pavel I. Lazarev, Victor Nazarov, Natalya Ovchinnikova, and Michael Paukshto "Molecular alignment in nano-film crystal polarizers and retarders", Proc. SPIE 4807, Physical Chemistry of Interfaces and Nanomaterials, (15 November 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.451032

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