Three-dimensional planar alignment of nematic liquid crystal by direct laser writing of nanogratings

Jagodič, Uroš (avtor), Pišljar, Jaka (avtor), Jelen, Andreja (avtor), Škarabot, Miha (avtor), Muševič, Igor (avtor)

We demonstrate a new method of aligning liquid crystals along polymer surfaces that are printed vertical to the focal plane using direct laser writing. The method is based on nanogrooves that are imprinted into surfaces of polymer structures and provide robust, reliable, repeatable, and well-controlled alignment patterns. Our results demonstrate that the anchoring strength of a liquid crystal on printed nanogratings is comparable to that of conventional polyimide layers. The advantages are at least 2-fold. First, we can print large vertical areas of well-defined patterns of nanogrooves with uniform anchoring strength, and, second, we can control the azimuthal anchoring strength by adjusting the amplitude and the periodicity of nanogrooves. Printing of alignment nanogrooves on tilted, curved and surfaces of arbitrary shape could be realized using printing protocols based on the principle shown here with potential applications in emerging microphotonic devices based on liquid crystals.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: 3D printing, liquid crystals, alignment layer, direct laser writing, displays, microphotonic elements, crystal structure, lasers, layers, organic polymers
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FMF - Fakulteta za matematiko in fiziko
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2025
• Št. strani: Str. 5970−5977
• Številčenje: Vol. 12, iss. 11
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-176586
• UDK: 539
• ISSN pri članku: 2330-4022
• DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.5c01342
• COBISS.SI-ID: 254269443
• Datum objave v RUL: 04.12.2025

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: ACS photonics
• Skrajšan naslov: ACS photonics
• Založnik: American Chemical Society
• ISSN: 2330-4022
• COBISS.SI-ID: 520397849

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: tekoči kristali, 3D tiskanje, laserji

Projekti

• Financer: EC - European Commission
• Program financ.: H2020
• Številka projekta: 884928
• Naslov: Light-operated logic circuits from photonic soft-matter
• Akronim: LOGOS

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P1-0099
• Naslov: Fizika mehkih snovi, površin in nanostruktur