Analysis of nonsinusoidal surface relief structures formed by elliptical polarization holography on azobenzene-containing polymeric films

Abstract

Nonsinusoidal and asymmetric surface relief (SR) gratings, formed in azobenzene-containing polymeric films by elliptical polarization holographic recordings, were theoretically characterized. The amplitude of SR deformation was formulated on the basis of the optical-field gradient force model and calculated using the electric field of the interference light and the dielectric polarization of the recorded film. The observed SR gratings with asymmetric structures were well explained by considering the Weigert effect of azobenzene molecules. This observation suggests that SR deformation on the azopolymer film originating from mass transportation is affected by the distribution of optical anisotropy induced by the reorientation of the azobenzene molecules.

Design of Collective Motions from Synthetic Molecular Switches, Rotors, and Motors

“…It is possible to inscribe SRG by using interfering beams at different wavelengths − by adding “assisting beams” to increase the isomerization rate, , by using more than two interfering beams, and even when incoherent light is used. , Some examples used pulsed irradiation. − The interference can also be achieved when light is irradiated through a photomask. − Half-grating spacing has also been achieved by Miniewicz and coworkers when they used an s-/p- interference pattern that they attributed to the interference between the zeroth- and first-order scattered beams. Interestingly, elliptic interference patterns can be used to fabricate asymmetric SRG. − For instance, Kawatsuki et al experimented a variety of polarization interference patterns, and they observed the formation of blazed SRG when two orthogonal elliptically polarized light beams where used (Figure a).…”

Fabrication of Polarization Grating on N-Benzylideneaniline Polymer Liquid Crystal and Control of Diffraction Beam

“…In the previous study, we studied the formation of PGs by two-flux interference exposure using azobenzene [29,30] and N-benzylideneaniline (NBA) [31,32]. PGs are formed under interference exposure owing to the periodic distribution of light intensity and polarization state.…”