Pattern formation by IR laser irradiation and polymerization of discotic liquid crystal

The alignment control of a discotic liquid crystal having polymerizable groups were examined by polarized IR technique to obtain shape- and size-controlled domains with uniformity in the liquid crystal film. It was found that the excitation of the C-C stretching band of triphenylene in the Col _h mesophase leads to the formation of new domains with a certain uniformity of the molecular alignment and it could be maintained as a polymer film prepared by the following photopolymerization under UV irradiation. Furthermore, the microscopic order of molecules is not disturbed so much, evidenced by the polarized microscopic IR measurements of the new domain.