Photo-alignable Object with Phase Separation for Complex Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing photo-alignment techniques face challenges in applying thin homogeneous layers on substrates with complex structures, such as microstructures or abrupt shape changes, leading to increased costs, manufacturing time, and reduced production yield, as well as the need for additional coating steps.
Innovation Solution
A method and composition for manufacturing a photo-alignable object where the object itself is made from a material composition that includes a photo-alignable material, allowing for phase separation to occur, thereby eliminating the need for an additional thin photo-alignment layer, and enabling the object to be generated with thicker dimensions suitable for complex surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thin photo-alignment layer is deposited on a substrate with complex structures (microstructures, abrupt shape changes), then photo-alignment function is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase, and production yield decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the photo-alignment function directly into the object material itself by incorporating photo-alignable materials into the base material composition. This eliminates the need for a separate photo-alignment layer and its associated coating steps, particularly benefiting complex structures where thin layer deposition is difficult.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the photo-alignment requirement from the separate layer deposition process and integrates it into the object manufacturing process itself. By making the object material photo-alignable, the separate photo-alignment layer is effectively removed from the structure.
2Reliability
If a thin photo-alignment layer is deposited on a substrate, then photo-alignment function is achieved, but additional coating steps are required, increasing manufacturing time and reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the photo-alignment functionality with the object material itself, eliminating the need for separate photo-alignment layer deposition steps. This integration directly reduces manufacturing time and improves production yield by removing unnecessary process steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the separate photo-alignment layer deposition process from the manufacturing sequence by incorporating photo-alignable properties directly into the object material, thereby eliminating additional coating steps and improving productivity.
3Loss of substance
If a thin photo-alignment layer is used to reduce material costs, then material cost is reduced, but the layer thickness becomes critical and harder to control on complex surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the photo-alignment function from a thin critical layer and embeds it in the object material itself, eliminating the need for precise thin layer thickness control while maintaining photo-alignment functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of photo-alignment layer thickness from 'thin critical layer' to 'integrated in object material', thereby eliminating the manufacturing precision challenges associated with thin layer deposition on complex surfaces.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the number of coating steps, increases production yield, and allows for the application of photo-alignment properties directly on complex surfaces without the need for additional layers, enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the process.
Implementation Method 1
the materials are so selected that in an object prepared from the composition phase separation can occur, such that the concentration of at least one sort of photo-alignable material is higher at least at one surface of the object than in the bulk of the object
Implementation Method 2
photo-alignment has been successfully introduced in large scale production of liquid crystal displays (LCD) and anisotropic optical films
Data Source
AI summary
A photo-alignable object has a thickness of more than 2 μm. The photo-alignable object can be in the form of a free standing film. Also, the photo-alignable object can have a topographical surface structure. The depth of the topographical surface structure can be larger than 100 nm, and preferably the depth of the topographical surface structure is larger than 1 μm.