To obtain a method for suitably providing a liquid crystal alignment film useful to improve a method for producing a liquid crystal display device or a method for producing an optical compensation film for the purpose of optical compensation of a liquid crystal display device.

A photo-alignment material for liquid crystal alignment which is a copolymer having a photo-alignment component and a photosensitization component in side chains, wherein the wt.% of the photosensitization component is 0.01-4.7 wt.%, is used as a liquid crystal alignment film. A solution of the photo-alignment material for liquid crystal alignment is applied on a substrate or on a base film to form a film, this film is irradiated with linearly polarizing light, alignment is promoted by molecular motion by subsequent heating, and the whole film becomes anisotropic to obtain a liquid crystal alignment film. Consequently, the liquid crystal alignment film can be produced with a relatively small amount of irradiation energy, thereby achieving the method for suitably providing a liquid crystal alignment film useful to improve a method for producing a liquid crystal display device or a method for producing an optical compensation film for the purpose of optical compensation of a liquid crystal display device.

COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT