Total Internal Reflection-A Method for Determining of LC Anchoring and Orientation on Various Substrates

The general problems being important for the determination of the liquid crystal surface anchoring and liquid crystal surface orientation of nematics, large-pitch cholesterics, and some smectics by means of attenuated total internal reflection (ATIR) of a visible light beam have been outlined. The advantages and disadvantages of ATIR for measuring of the surface energy have been discussed and compared with those of other well-known methods. The possible influence of additional orienting and/or coducting layers on the reflectivity and polarization of the incident wave are also briefly discussed.