Patent ID: 6083574
Filing Date: 2000-07-04
Classification: C09K,G02F

Abstract:
An aligning method of a smectic liquid crystal, comprising:disposing a smectic liquid crystal between a pair of electrode plates, said smectic liquid crystal having a layer spacing-changing characteristic providing a layer spacing which increases on temperature decrease in a first temperature range in smectic A phase; andsubjecting said smectic liquid crystal to a heat treatment comprising: (i) a sequence of cooling said smectic liquid crystal from a higher temperature than its smectic A phase temperature to a second temperature range in smectic A phase, wherein said second temperature range includes at least a portion of the first temperature range, (ii) at least one cycle of heating and cooling within the second temperature range, and (iii) further cooling to a smectic phase lower than smectic A phase.