Contents

Voume 6 Number 1 (2002)

Preface ---- Sweats and Bitters in Liquid Crystal Research
Atuo HUKUDA
1
General Review ---- Applications of liquid crystalline polymers
Eiji YODA and Takehiro TOYODA
4
Review ---- Science and Technology of Discotic Liquid Crystalline Semiconductors
Kazuchika OHTA
13
---- Flexoelectric Effects
Masanori OZAKI and Katsumi YOSHINO
22
---- Resonance Shear Measurements of Liquid Crystal Nano-films Confines between Solid Surfaces
Kazue KURIHARA
34
---- Moving Picture Quality Improvement for TFT-LCDs
Jyunichi HIRAKATA, Kikuo ONO and Susumu SASAKI
42
Lectures on Experimental Techniques ---- Identification of liquid crystalline phases (1) Calamitic Liquid Crystals (2) Chiral Liquid Crystals
Yoichi TAKANISHI
51
---- Identification of liquid crystalline phases (3) Identifiction of Discotic Mesophases by X-ray Structural Analysis
Kazuchika OHTA
61
---- Identification of liquid crystalline phases (4) Lyotropic Liquid Crystals
Jun YAMAMOTO
72
Special lecture ---- Discotic Optical Compensation Film for Wide-Vewing-Angle TFT-LCDs
Hiroyuki MORI
84
Reports from Universities and Institutions ---- Department of Polymeric and Organic materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology
Junji WATANABE
93
Conference Report ---- 2001 JLCS Summer School
Yoichi TAKANISHI
98
---- Meeting Report on Material Discussion
Isa NISHIYAMA
100
---- Report on 50th Polymer Conference
Seiji UJIIE
103
---- 2001 Japanese Liquid Crystals Conference
Masahiro HUNAHASHI
104
---- Conference Report on AD/IDW'01
Yasufumi IIMURA
106
---- Forum for Liquid Crystal Physics 2001
Yukio OUCHI
108
---- Report on Chemistry and LC material Forum Seminar
Tetuo KUSUMOTO
110
---- Forum for Liquid Crystals in Lyotropic and Biological Systems
Systems@Yuka TABE
112
---- Forum for Liguid Crystal Photonics and Optical Devices
Atushi SHISHIDO
114
---- Honarary Member and Japanese Liquid Crystal Society Award
116
---- English Abstracts 121
JLCS Announcements ---- 123


Abstructs of Reviews


Applications of liquid crystalline polymers
Eiji YODA and Takehiro TOYODA
NIPPON MITSUBISHI OIL Co.
8 Chidori-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-0815 JAPAN
E-mail: eiji.yoda@nmoc.co.jp
E-mail: takehiro.toyooka@nmoc.co.jp

Abstract : Applications of liquid crystalline polymers range from high performance engineering plastics to functional materials. As high performance engineering plastics, liquid crystalline polymers, which have the advantage of high strength, high elasticity and high heat resistance, are widely used to make electric and electronic components. On the other hand, liquid crystalline polymers as functional materials have been developed for elements for liquid crystal displays (LCD) as well as opto-electronics devices. By controlling the various molecular orientations, liquid crystalline polymers have the potential to expand their application areas. In this paper, we introduce an example of the use of liquid crystalline polymers and the research towards the future in this field.

Science and Technology of Discotic Liquid Crystalline Semiconductors
Kazuchika OHTA

Department of Functional Polymer Science, Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University
Ueda, Nagano-pref., 386-8567 Japan
E-mail: ko52517@giptc.shinshu-u.ac.jp

Abstract : Science and technology for discotic liquid crystalline semiconductors are reviewed. Merits and demerits of two conductivity measurement techniques, TOF and PR-TRMC, for discotic liquid crystals are discussed. Some discotic liquid crystalline semiconductors were recently found to show very fast carrier mobilities. It was found that modification of these discogenic materials produced the thin films exhibiting spontaneous perfect homeotropic alignment at r.t., which will be practically utilized as organic carrier transport materials.
@KeywordsFConductivity, Mobility, Semiconductor, Photoconductor, Discotic liquid crystal, Metallomesogen, Homeotropic alignment

Flexoelectric Effects
Masanori OZAKI and Katsumi YOSHINO
Fac. of Tech., Osaka University
2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita-city, Osaka 565-0871 JAPAN
E-mail: ozaki@ele.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp
E-mail: yoshino@ele.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp

Even in the bulk of a nematic liquid crystal, a macroscopic polarization can be induced by a bend or splay distortion of the director field. This phenomenon is known as the flexoelectric effect. The basic concept of this effect and the history of the determination of its coefficients have been described. As a powerful technique for the estimation of flexoelectric and surface polarizations, a method of pyroelectric measurement using a short pulse laser and its results have been demonstrated. The electro-optic application based on the flexoelectric effect and photo-induced flexoelectric effect have also been described.
Keywords : flexoelectric effect, piezoelectricity, surface polarization, pyroelectric effect

Resonance Shear Measurements of Liquid Crystal Nano-films Confines between Solid Surfaces
Kazue KURIHARA
Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University
2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577 JAPAN
E-mail: kurihara@tagen.tohoku.ac.jp

Abstract : This article describes a novel method, the resonance shear measurement, for characterizing liquid crystals confined in a nanometer-scale gap between solid (mica) surfaces. The measurement enables monitoring of properties such as viscosity and structuring of confined liquids by varying the thickness of the liquid (the separation distance between the solid surfaces). Advantages of this method includeF(1) ability to monitor both nano-rheological and nano-tribological behaviors of liquid crystal samples in a continuous and well-regulated mannerG(2) stability and high sensitivity of the measurementG(3) rich information directly available from the position and the intensity of the resonance peaks obtained at various film thicknessG(4) complementary characterization available based on fringes of equal chromatic order (FECO). The method including the instrumentation is described. Thin films of 4-cyano-4'-hexyl biphenyl (6CB) were confined between solid surfaces and the substrates used were bare mica and modified mica with Langmuir-Blodgett films of dioctadecyldimethylammonium (DODA). The results obtained are presented to demonstrate the potential of this measurement.
Keywords : liquid crystals, resonance shear nano-measurement, surface forces measurement, surface-induced orientation, structuring, nanorheology

Moving Picture Quality Improvement for TFT-LCDs
Jyunichi HIRAKATA, Kikuo ONO and Susumu SASAKI
Hitachi, Ltd.
3300 Hayano, Mobara-city, Chiba-pref. 297-8622 JAPAN
Abstract : The most important requirement for digital-media LCD applications is a sharp moving picture. The Super TFT-LCD (In-Plane Switching Mode) provides an extremely wide viewing angle and high quality color reproduction, comparable with cathode ray tubes (CRT). We have improved this design further by developing a blink-backlight technology that dramatically improves performance in displaying moving picture images.
Keywords : Moving picture quality, Super-TFT, IPS, Impulse type, Blink backlight