Optically induced surface relief phenomena in azobenzene polymers

Light-Induced Nanostructure Formation using Azobenzene Polymers

Surface Anchoring and Optically Induced Molecular Motion in Thin Azobenzene Polymeric Lms

In this paper we report recent results by polarized FT-IR spectroscopy and by ellip-sometry on photoinduced eeects in thin Langmuir-Blodgett lms of an azobenzene side chain liquid crystalline polymer. In particular we address the structure of the as-grown LB multilayer, and the photoinduced mechanical and optical eeects as a function of temperature , optical perturbation and interaction with th...

Photo-induced deformation of azobenzene polymers: theory and simulations

A microscopic theory is developed to describe light-induced deformation of azobenzene polymers of different chemical structures: uncross-linked low-molecular-weight azobenzene polymers and cross-linked azobenzene polymers (azobenzene elastomers) bearing azobenzene chromophores in their strands. According to the microscopic theory the light-induced deformation is caused by reorientation of azobe...

Azobenzene Polymers for Photonic Applications

Azobenzene, with two phenyl rings separated by an azo (–N=N–) bond, serves as the parent molecule for a broad class of aromatic azo compounds. These chromophores are versatile molecules, and have received much attention in research areas both fundamental and applied. The strong electronic absorption maximum can be tailored by ring substitution to fall anywhere from the ultraviolet (UV) to visib...

Birefringence Properties and Surface Relief Grating Formation on Methylacrylate Polymers with Photochromic Side Chains

We have studied light-induced birefringence (LIB) and surface relief grating (SRG) formation in the series of methylacrylate polymers. The effect of material structure such as length of photochromic side chain, glass transition temperature and molecular structure of azo units on LIB and SRG are studied. The optical formation of self-induced SRG on films of these materials is also presented.