Liquid crystal device laboratory

Categories of technology seeds
Manufacturing
keyword

Faculty

木村 宗弘

KIMURA Munehiro

Associate Professor

TEL:
0258-47-9540
FAX:
0258-47-9500
柴田 陽生

SHIBATA Yosei

TEL:
0258-47-9568

Specialties

1. Physical property: Electronic devices
2. Physical property: Surface science

Research areas

1. Development of R2R method for organic electronic devices by printing method
2. Study on orientation control of molecules at interface
3. Development of fast response liquid crystal device
4. Liquid/solid interface observation by frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy
5. Measurement methods of liquid crystal device properties
6. Study on molecular interaction between organic functional material and liquid crystal material

Main facilities

Time-resolved spectroscopic ellipsometry(2 machines), Abbe refractometer, Surface Tensiometer (Contact angle meter), Rubbing machine, In-liquid atomic force microscope, Surface anchoring energy and flexoelectricity measurement system, Slit coater, Blade coater, Dip coater, Spin coater, 3D printer, Fluorescence spectrometer, Impedance Analyzer, Solar Simulator, Compressive/Tension test machine, He-Cd laser

Forte of this laboratory's study

1. Simulation of molecular alignment distribution and its optical characteristics 2. Determination of refractive index and thickness of thin film by analysis using optically-polarized light
3. Estimation of elastic constant and dielectric/refractive anisotropy in liquid crystalline material 4. Measurement of anchoring energy at polymer interface
5. Surface evaluation on substrate
6. Evaluation of characteristics in organic thin film device

Achivements/proposals via industry-academia collabolations

・Evaluation of alignment distribution of liquid crystal molecules (accommodating demands from affiliated company with LCD manufacturing) ・Development of measurement system of anchoring energy (already commercialized by Toyo Corporation) ・Formation of functional thin films by slit coarter (accomodating demadns from affiliated company)

Areas interesting to interact with

・Lead Acid Battery (electrode materials, additive to electrolyte) ・Efficient photosynthesis reaction technology of the crops
・Flexible electronic devices

Intellectual properties

Liquid Crystal Display (Patent No. 2007-192854)
Manufacuring method of liquid crystal device (Patent No.2009-175247)

Message

The feature of our laboratory is precise evaluation of substrate surface and interface for control of molecular ordering. We are challenging molecular alignment control of both of various functional organic materials utilizing alignment ability of liquid crystal and novel liquid crystal. We hope collaboration to affiliated company with printed electronics and agriculture film.

  • Atomic force microscope image of fabricated grating structure by optical interference method using UV light (estimated pitch:2μm, height: 1μm)Atomic force microscope image of fabricated grating structure by optical interference method using UV light (estimated pitch:2μm, height: 1μm)
  • Printing equipment of molecular alignment of liquid crystal (slit coater)Printing equipment of molecular alignment of liquid crystal (slit coater)
  • Atomic force microscope system (SPM-8100FM, Shimazu Corp.): Observation of various physical properties and topography of interface between solid surface and liquid.Atomic force microscope system (SPM-8100FM, Shimazu Corp.): Observation of various physical properties and topography of interface between solid surface and liquid.
page top