Applied Nanophotonics, Liquid Crystals and Biomedical Optics

Photoalignment of nematic liquid crystals is obtained on the chalcogenide glassy thin film of As₂ S₃ using irradiation with polarized blue light. A uniform homogeneously aligned device is obtained with high contrast and strong anchoring. The device alignment quality is permanent as checked by following its functionality over a period of few months. The origin of the observed photoalignment is attributed to the photoinduced anisotropy in chalcogenide glasses. No differences between the different As₂ S ₃ film thicknesses observed, thus supporting the proposition that some orientational order is photoinduced on the surface of the glass and responsible for the photoalignment.