Investigation into the orientation of the liquid-crystal mixture E7 in composite photonic crystals based on single-crystal silicon

Abstract

The orientation of the liquid crystal E7 on the surface of silicon wafers and inside the grooves of grooved silicon prepared by anisotropic etching in an alkali is investigated. The orientation of the liquid crystal is determined using IR absorbance and IR reflectance spectroscopy and the capacitance method. The specific features of IR absorption in the liquid crystal introduced into periodic matrices are analyzed. It is shown that the liquid crystal E7 in grooved silicon is characterized by a weakly pronounced planar orientation of the molecules with respect to the silicon walls.