Alignment technique for liquid crystal devices

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Abstract of the Disclosure, In a liquid crystal device one interior surface of the cell is coated with a polymer (e.g. a crystalline polymer such as PET) which, when rubbed produces, alignment of the liquid crystal molecules and the, opposite interior surface is coated with a material (e.g. an amorphous polymer such as PMMA) which, even if rubbed, does not produce such alignment. Also descried is a combination of an aligning polymer and a non-aligning non-polymer (e.g. a silane surfactant or bare ITO). This technique is particularly useful in producing alignment of relatively thick, ferroelectric smectic liquid crystal cells.