Continuous liquid crystal pretilt control through textured substrates

Reliable control on the pretilt alignment of nematic liquid crystal (LC) in the 30degrees-50degrees range is a well-known challenge. An unconventional approach, involving microtextured surfaces with domains favoring dissimilar LC alignments, has recently demonstrated applicability in bi- and tristable displays. These textured domains realize the so-called frustrated boundary condition in which the LC elastic energy built-up (frustration) can drive the LC alignment into macroscopic uniformity. Here we show that one can harness the frustrated boundary to achieve variable LC pretilt control up to 40degrees. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.