Anomalous Optical Anisotropy Induced by Liquid Crystallinity of Poly(2,5‐dialkoxy‐p‐phenylenebutadiynylene) Using a Conventional Rubbing Process

Abstract

Uniform molecular alignment of the conducting liquid‐crystal polymer shown has been achieved by means of a simple rubbing technique. Surprisingly, the molecules were found to align themselves so that the alkoxy side chains—not the mesogenic main chain—lie parallel to the rubbing direction. This anomalous alignment was confirmed using Raman, absorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopy.