Electro-optical performance of liquid crystal device based on Al-doped SnO fabricated by sol-gel process

We demonstrated uniform LC alignment on IB-irradiated aluminium tin oxide (AlSnO) by controlling the annealing temperature. Physico-chemical analyses were carried out to determine the surface modification and uniform LC alignment mechanism as a function of the annealing temperature. IB irradiation induced the breakdown of the chemical bonds of AlSnO, preserving its anisotropic characteristics along the direction of IB irradiation, allowing for uniform alignment of the LC molecules on the reformed surface. However, at annealing temperatures under the boiling point of the solvent, residual solvent remained on the surface, thereby prohibiting uniform LC alignment. Moreover, we obtained good optical transmittance in the visual region and good electro-optical performance. Therefore, the IB-irradiated AlSnO film annealed above 200°C exhibited good potential as an alternative candidate for LC display applications.