Liquid crystal alignment on ultrafast laser nanostructured ITO coated glass

Liquid crystal (LC) devices are widely used as building blocks of many electro-optical systems including linear polarization rotators, dynamical wave plate retarders, and pixilated devices for displays, spatial light modulators, and tunable filters [1]. Precise alignment of the LC molecules is required for high quality components. The anisotropic nature of LC molecules allows them to align on solid surfaces. This can be achieved either due to physicochemical interaction such as photo-alignment on surfaces using polarized blue light or due to the elastic interaction when aligned along nanogrooves created by mechanical rubbing or lithography techniques [2]. Although numerous methods enabling the manufacturing of LC devices have been reported, the technological flexibility and precision remains a problem.