Light-controllable hybrid aligning layer based on LIPSS on sapphire surface and PVCN-F film

•Structured sapphire surfaces coated with photosensitive polymer as hybrid aligning layers were studied.•Structured sapphire surfaces, possessing different width of unstructured gap, were fabricated by using LIPSS.•Azimuthal anchoring energy of hybrid aligning layer depends on width of unstructured gap and irradiation time.•The dramatic increase in azimuthal anchoring energy value under UV light treatment of hybrid aligning layer was found.•The near zero azimuthal anchoring energy value for the hybrid aligning layer was also found.