Programmable surface anisotropy from polarization-driven azopolymer reconfiguration

Abstract The ability to accurately realize complex textures is of great relevance for tailoring surface-driven functionalities as wettability, adhesion and light diffraction. fabrication superficial micro-textures, in a simple cost-effective way, high desiderable this framework. A versatile technique surface micropatterning based on reconfiguration photosensitive azobenzene-containing polymers, which macroscopic light-induced motion polymer chains, fueled by the photo-isomerizing azobenzene molecules, allows controlled optical reshaping prestructured micro-textures. Here, azopolymer surfaces, prepatterned with an array discrete cylindrical micropillars, are reconfigured through polarization-driven large-scale deformation until achieving gratings programmable amplitude, orientation periodicity. degree structural anisotropy, possibility program directionality such anisotropy from basic pristine simplicity setup, make proposed structuration method attractive patterning.