Uniaxial Alignment of the Columnar Super-Structure of a Hexa (Alkyl) Hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene on Untreated Glass by Simple Solution Processing

Uniaxially aligned, thin films of a discotic columnar thermotropic liquid crystalline material can be prepared by a simple solution zone-casting method, without the need for modified surfaces or traditional alignment techniques. Atomic force microscopy together with X-ray diffraction reveals single-crystalline-like order over several square centimeters, far exceeding the requirements for application of such films in organic molecular electronic devices such as field-effect transistors.