Alignment of liquid crystal molecules on solution-derived zinc-tin-oxide films via ion beam irradiation

We present the characteristics of annealing temperature-dependent, zinc-tin-oxide (ZTO) films deposited by a solution process for application in liquid crystal displays (LCDs). ZTO surfaces supported homogeneously-aligned liquid crystal (LC) molecules based on an ion beam irradiation system. Uniform LC alignment and a precise pretilt angle were obtained at an annealing temperature greater than 300 degrees C. The oxidation of ZTO films was confirmed using field-emission-scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electro-optical characteristics of electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) cells based on the ZTO films were superior to those based on polyimide. Especially, IB-irradiated ZTO films exhibited superior performance with respect to response time. This result indicates that this approach will allow for the fabrication of advanced LCDs with high performance. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.