Four-domain twisted nematic structure with enhanced liquid crystal alignment stability and fast response time

In this paper, we propose a stable four-domain twisted nematic structure with wide viewing angle characteristics and a fast response time. A stable structure was realized by introducing a high pre-tilt angle approach incorporating stacked planar and vertical alignment layers. The response time and thermal stability of the proposed device were dramatically improved by the addition of UV-curable reactive mesogen (RM) mixed with a vertical alignment material. Polymerized RMs along the liquid crystal (LC) director increased the polar anchoring energy and reduced back-flow phenomena. A wide viewing angle and fast response time characteristics were achieved over all gray levels. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4733998]