Photoinduced orientational structures of nematic liquid crystal droplets in contact with polyimide coated surface

Orientational structure transitions due to a photoinduced surface anchoring modulation were achieved and investigated in the case of NLC microdroplets placed between glycerol and solid surface. The boundary conditions at NLC-glycerol varied under the light action on the dendromer dopant containing azobenzene terminal fragments. At the same time, the NLC had a strong planar anchoring with the polyimide treated substrate. Numerical simulation of the observed orientational structures in NLC microdroplets were carried out.