ORIENTATION OF DIMERIC LIQUID CRYSTALS THROUGH ZnXCd1-XSe NANOSTRUCTURED SURFACES

Single layers of ZnxCd1-xSe with three different compositions (x = 0.39, 0.59, 0.8) and thickness of 400 nm have been prepared by thermal vacuum evaporation, through alloying of ultra thin ZnSe and CdSe films. The microstructure and surface morphology of ZnxCd1-xSe has been investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy. Chiral and achiral bi-stable smectic C liquid crystal textures were obtained using a hybrid liquid crystal cell, built by two different substrate plates one covered with ZnxCd1-xSe thin film and the other one with rubbed ITO. These chiral and achiral liquid crystal systems are important for the contemporary fast liquid crystal display techniques. A physical mechanism is suggested to explain the orientating ability of the ZnxCd1-xSe thin semiconductor layer.