AbstractWe have synthesized compounds of the form M-R-SiCl3 where M is a mesogen based on octyloxy phenyl benzoate, and R is an alkyl chain (tether) that connects M to the silane head group. Tethering lengths from the mesogenic unit to the silane moiety involved 3, 6, or 10 methylene units. These compounds were used to form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on silicon wafers, fused silica, and SiO2 coated indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass. Characterization of these systems includes contact angle measurements, ellipsometry, and atomic force microscopy. Results suggest that the monolayer packing is governed by the lateral interactions between the mesogenic units and not by the tethering length to the solid surface. We have investigated the utility of these chemically-tuned surfaces for liquid crystal alignment. The octyloxy phenyl benzoate self-assembled monolayers induce homeotropic alignment of a nematic liquid crystal.
