Nanomesh aluminum films for LC alignment theoretical and experimental modeling

Methods of fabrication of nanomesh aluminum films for LC alignment and their structure are described. A dependence of the pores' diameter vs. their fabrication conditions is found. A dependence of the alumina nanomesh on the pores' performances is simulated too. A theory of LC alignment in such system is proposed that allows prediction of the alignment type and explanation of experimental data. The LC orientation type is determined by the free anchoring energy and the micropore diameter. The difference of both planar and homeotropic anchoring energy is lower than the interaction energy by two orders of magnitude. © 2014 Society for Information Display.