Abstract
We report on the physical characteristics of horizonthally-grown Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (h-al-SWNT) arrays and their potential use as transparent and conducting alignment layer for liquid crystals display devices. Microscopy (SEM and AFM), spectroscopic (Raman) and electrical investigations demonstrate the strong anisotropy of h-al-SWNT arrays. Optical measurements show that h-al-SWNTs are efficient alignment layers for Liquid Crystal (LC) molecules allowing the fabrication of optical wave plates. Interactions between h-al-SWNT arrays and LC molecules are also investigated evidencing the weak azimuthal anchoring energy at the interface, which, in turn, leads to LC devices with a high pretilt angle. The electro-optical reponses of h-al-SWNT/LC cells demonstrate that h-al-SWNT arrays are efficient nanostructured electrodes with potential use for the combined replacement of Indium Tin Oxyde and polymeric alignment layers in conventional displays.
Highlights
Electronic displays are an integral part of many household and portable electronic devices such as televisions, laptop computers, touch screens or smartphones
We demonstrate that horizontally-aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (h-alSWNTs) grown on transparent substrates can be used as both alignment and transparent conducting layers making a ‘two in one’ coating finding potential applications for liquid crystal display devices. h-al-Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) were first grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on quartz substrate and characterized by SEM, AFM, UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopies and four probe technique
We have shown that h-al-SWNT arrays can be used as both alignment and conducting coatings which may find potential applications for liquid crystal display devices
Summary
Electronic displays are an integral part of many household and portable electronic devices such as televisions, laptop computers, touch screens or smartphones These display devices currently make use of transparent electrodes mostly fabricated from glass panels coated with a thin layer of conducting Indium Tin Oxyde (ITO). Conducting polymers are an efficient alternative to replace ITO in display applications[1,2,3,4] but carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene are considered among the most promising susbtitutes for ITO due to their unique mechanical and electrical properties.[5,6,7,8] In particular, Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) have great potential applications in electronic displays where energy-efficient, and/or lightweight materials are required.[9] Random arrays of SWNTs were first produced either by direct growth on a catalyzed substrate or by deposition onto an arbitrary substrate from a solution of suspended SWNTs. For sufficiently high densities of SWNTs, the nanotubes interconnect and form continuous electrical paths allowing the fabrication of various devices like thin-film transistors,[10,11] sensors,[12] transparent conducting electrodes for flexible OLED13 or optical switches.[14]. The anchoring energy of LC molecules on nanostructured SWNTs substrates is estimated providing interesting insights on the interactions between carbon nanotubes and rodlike molecules
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