Scientists in Bengaluru have found a way to make LCDs cheaper
Scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru -- an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) -- have conceptualized and implemented a new way of employing 2D materials to overcome the drawbacks of current methods.
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FollowA team of scientists in Bengaluru has developed an easier technique for manufacturing liquid crystal displays, which can reduce the cost of the devices. Unidirectional planar alignment of the constituent liquid crystals (LC) over large areas is an essential requirement of liquid crystal devices (LCDs).
Scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru -- an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) -- have conceptualized and implemented a new way of employing 2D materials to overcome the drawbacks of current methods.
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Even though it yields quality liquid crystal alignment, the conventional polymer rubbing method possesses unavoidable and undesirable drawbacks, like damage to the electronic components of the display and the production of electrostatic charges and dust particles that interfere with display function.
While electrostatic charges increase the failure rate, dust creates defects that seriously compromise the device's performance. Other problems include the necessity for high-temperature curing and a multistep process for coating. This has resulted in demand peaking for replacing the rubbing method with newer non-contact techniques.
The latest among these techniques is the use of 2D nanomaterials --- graphene, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), transition metal dichalcogenides, and so on as alignment layers. However, all these have a built-in lacuna owing to the deployment of the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method, as this technique necessitates high deposition temperature and by-products that are often hazardous or toxic. Besides, unidirectional LC alignment is observed over only small regions when the CVD method is used.
The team of scientists the group comprising Priyabrata Sahoo, Dr DS Shankar Rao, Gayathri Pisharody, Dr HSSR Matte and Dr S Krishna Prasad employed a procedure called solution-processed deposition technique using the h-BN nanoflakes as the specific material.
Besides being able to get the liquid crystal alignment over a much wider area, the team also found the resultant crystals remained robust with no evidence of decay in liquid crystal orientation over several months.
The team's work has been published in the Advanced Materials Interfaces. That formed the basis for an Indian patent application.
According to lead researcher Dr Prasad, the method showing a non-conventional and contact-free route for getting unidirectional alignment of liquid crystals is much simpler, flexible for adaptation, scalable and cost-effective.
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