Photo-alignment material and photo-alignment method

Abstract

A photo-alignment material in which an alignment film can be formed parallel to a vibration direction of light and a tilt angle of the alignment film is easily controlled and a photo-alignment method using the photo-alignment material are provided. A photo-alignment material of the present invention contains a photo-responsive substance having a threshold value of responding light intensity.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A photo-alignment material, comprising:
 a photo-responsive substance having a threshold value of responding light intensity.   
     
     
         29 . The photo-alignment material according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 an oligomer and/or a polymer.   
     
     
         30 . The photo-alignment material according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 an anisotropic substance.   
     
     
         31 . The photo-alignment material according to  claim 28 ,
 wherein the photo-responsive substance is an anisotropic substance which does not cause a photochemical reaction, and a long axis direction of the photo-responsive substance is aligned parallel to a vibration direction of light by irradiating the light having light intensity of greater than or equal to the threshold value.   
     
     
         32 . The photo-alignment material according to  claim 28 ,
 wherein the threshold value of the light intensity is less than or equal to 10 W/cm 2 .   
     
     
         33 . A photo-alignment method, comprising:
 irradiating the photo-alignment material according to  claim 28  with light having light intensity of greater than or equal to the threshold value.   
     
     
         34 . The photo-alignment method according to  claim 33 ,
 wherein the light to be irradiated to the photo-alignment material is irradiated at an angle with respect to a normal direction of a layer comprising the photo-alignment material.   
     
     
         35 . The photo-alignment method according to  claim 34 ,
 wherein the angle is less than or equal to 10 degrees with respect to the normal direction of the layer comprising the photo-alignment material.   
     
     
         36 . An optical anisotropic material, comprising:
 the photo-alignment material according to  claim 28  wherein at least a part of the photo-alignment material has alignment-control ability by irradiating at least the part with light having light intensity of greater than or equal to the threshold value.   
     
     
         37 . An optical element formed of a lens, a retardation film, or a hologram, comprising:
 the photo-alignment material according to  claim 28  wherein at least a part of the photo-alignment material has alignment-control ability by irradiating at least the part with light having light intensity of greater than or equal to the threshold value.   
     
     
         38 . An alignment film, comprising:
 the photo-alignment material according to  claim 28  wherein at least a part of the photo-alignment material has alignment-control ability by irradiating at least the part with light having light intensity of greater than or equal to the threshold value.   
     
     
         39 . A display element formed of a liquid crystal display element or electronic paper, comprising:
 the photo-alignment material according to  claim 28  wherein at least a part of the photo-alignment material has alignment-control ability by irradiating at least the part with light having light intensity of greater than or equal to the threshold value.   
     
     
         40 . An optical anisotropic body, comprising: p 1  the photo-alignment material according to  claim 28  wherein at least a part of the photo-alignment material has alignment-control ability by irradiating at least the part with light having light intensity of greater than or equal to the threshold value. 
     
     
         41 . A manufacturing method of an alignment film, comprising steps of:
 forming a film of the photo-alignment material according to  claim 28  on a substrate; and   photo-aligning at least a part of the photo-alignment material by irradiating at least the part of the film of the photo-alignment material with light having light intensity of greater than or equal to the threshold value.   
     
     
         42 . The manufacturing method of an alignment film according to  claim 41 ,
 wherein a long axis direction of the photo-responsive substance is aligned parallel to a vibration direction of light by irradiating the light such that the light intensity is greater than or equal to the threshold value.   
     
     
         43 . The manufacturing method of an alignment film according to  claim 41 ,
 wherein the light to be irradiated to the photo-alignment material is irradiated at an angle with respect to a normal direction of a layer comprising the photo-alignment material.   
     
     
         44 . The manufacturing method of an alignment film according to  claim 43 ,
 wherein the angle is less than or equal to 10 degrees with respect to the normal direction of the layer comprising the photo-alignment material.   
     
     
         45 . A manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display element, comprising steps of:
 manufacturing an alignment film by the manufacturing method of an alignment film according to  claim 41 ;   preparing a substrate cell by bonding two substrates such that a surface on which the alignment film is provided is positioned on an inner side and an interval between the substrates has a predetermined value;   preparing a liquid crystal cell by filling the cell with a liquid crystal composition; and   interposing the liquid crystal cell between polarizing plates.   
     
     
         46 . A manufacturing method of an optical anisotropic body, comprising steps of:
 manufacturing an alignment film by the manufacturing method of an alignment film according to  claim 41 ;   applying a polymerizable liquid crystal composition onto a surface of the substrate on which the alignment film is provided; and   polymerizing the polymerizable liquid crystal composition.