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Determines the correlation between the pretilt angle of liquid crystals (LC) and the inclination angle of the polyimide backbone structure. Types of polyimides used; Relationship between the inclination angle and carbon atoms in the alkyl side-chains; Determination of the LC pretilt angle by the inclination of the polyimide backbone structure.

Using polarized infrared (IR) absorption, we have investigated the surface anisotropy of a poly [4, 4′-oxydiphenylene-pyromellitimide] (PMDA-ODA) film that arises from anisotropic decomposition of the polyimide chain during irradiation with linearly polarized ultraviolet (LPUV) light. To monitor the surface anisotropy, we designed the sample structure so that the polyimide films decomposed uniformly over the entire film thickness. The surface anisotropy has a maximum at an irradiation energy of 105 J/cm[sup 2]. For PMDA-ODA, the maximum surface anisotropy is significantly smaller than the surface anisotropy generated by rubbing. By analyzing the irradiation energy dependence of an IR absorption band, we found that the decomposition rate of the polyimide chain oriented parallel to the polarization direction of the LPUV light is greater only by ∼23% than that oriented perpendicular to it. This is the reason for the small surface anisotropy induced by the LPUV light irradiation. © 1998 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]