Liquid crystal alignment structure and display devices containing same

本发明提供一种可用于液晶显示器的取向结构。该取向结构包括其上面置有溶致液晶材料已取向膜的衬底。特别有用的溶致液晶材料包括一类称为显色剂的化合物。本发明结构的制造方法是将溶致液晶材料涂覆在衬底上，提供溶致材料的已取向膜。该取向衬底也可包括一种或一种以上的起偏振染料或其它添加剂，因此除取向外，还可进行偏振、延迟和/或滤色功能。也描述了包括这种取向结构的光学装置及其制造方法。 An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented film of a lyotropic nematic liquid crystalline material. Particularly useful lyotropic materials include a class of nematic liquid crystalline compounds known as chromonics. The substrates can be made by coating the lyotropic liquid crystal material onto the substrate to provide an oriented film of the lyotropic material. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Optical devices containing such alignment structures and methods of making such devices are also described.