Patent ID: 7968158

Claim:
A liquid crystal alignment structure comprising: a liquid crystal layer having liquid crystal molecules, the liquid crystal layer having first and second surfaces; at least one horizontal alignment material providing a first pretilt angle to the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer; at least one vertical alignment material providing a second pretilt angle to the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer; the first and second alignment materials being combined such that one of either the first or second alignment materials forms nano-domains that are smaller than one micron in a matrix of the other of the first or second alignment materials, the combined first and second alignment materials being formed from a solvent solution, the solvent solution being miscible with both the first and second alignment materials such that the nano-sized domains are formed on evaporation of the solvent; and a layer of the combined first and second alignment materials being positioned adjacent at least the first surface of the liquid crystal layer such that non-uniform pretilt angles are induced in surface liquid crystal molecules of the adjacent liquid crystal surface layer, and a substantially uniform pretilt angle of approximately 10 degrees to approximately 80 degrees is formed away from the surface liquid crystal molecules at a distance in the liquid crystal layer smaller than a cell gap of the liquid crystal layer.