Photoalignment possesses significant advantages in comparison with the usual 'rubbing' treatment of the substrates of liquid crystal display (LCD) cells as it is a non-contact method with a high resolution. A new technique recently pioneered by the authors of this book, namely the photo-induced diffusion reorientation of azodyes, does not involve any photochemical or structural transformations of the molecules. This results in photoaligning films which are robust and possess good aligning properties making them particularly suitable for the new generation of liquid crystal devices....

Electrooptic effects provide the basis for much liquid-crystal display technology. This book, by two of the leaders in liquid-crystal research in Russia, presents a complete and accessible treatment of virtually all known phenomena occurring in liquid crystals under the influence of electric fields.