Arbitrary pretilt and azimuth angles generation by stacked photoalignment layers

We report a method of fabricating a nano‐sized stack alignment layer. The stacked alignment layer consists of nano‐domains of vertical and planar alignment materials. Experiments reveal that photoalignment thin film can undergo dewetting and form discrete nano‐sized domains. Such self‐organized structure creates a discontinuous layer stacked on top of a continuous layer and hence produces an inhomogeneous alignment surface. With two or more different principle alignment directions, this new alignment layer is capable of producing multiple pretilt and azimuth angle domains on a single substrate. A stacked alignment layer for liquid crystal devices has been studied and demonstrated. It consists of nano‐domains of vertical and planar alignment materials and, hence, produces an inhomogeneous alignment surface. The nano‐domains have a self‐organized structure and are formed by dewetting. This new alignment layer is capable of producing multiple pretilt and azimuth angle domains on a single substrate.