Nanofibers with diameters less than 1000nm assembled by electrospinning and with a large surface area per unit mass have been attracting considerable attention and are expected to affect the orientation of liquid crystals (LCs). Firstly, to determine the orientated nanofibers on an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass surface, the spectral analysis technique of using fast Fourier transform is applied. Optical observation is performed to confirm the orientation of LC molecules in a twisted nematic LC cell. Finally, optical measurement of an LC cell is carried out to estimate the threshold voltage of the LC in two types of twisted nematic LC cell: one with rubbed polyimide and the other with orientated nanofibers as the alignment layer. A twisted nematic LC is oriented in the cell using orientated nanofibers as the alignment layer and the threshold voltage of this cell agrees with that of the conventional polyimide rubbed cell. (C) 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics