Surface relief gratings from electrostatically layered azo dye films

Abstract

Surface relief gratings (SRGs) were fabricated on composite films assembled by alternate electrostatic deposition of a polyelectrolyte, poly(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride), and an organic azo dye, congo red. The modulation of SRGs was found to increase with the thickness of the matrix films. Significant photochemical bleaching of the azo dye in the polymeric microenvironment as well as gradient-force-induced migration of the small azo dye contributes to the formation of the SRG structure. This finding demonstrates a facile method to fabricate SRGs for optical and information storage applications using commercially available azo dyes and polyelectrolytes.

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Azobenzene Methacrylate Monomers

“…Polymer containing azo-dye systems are of interest in photorefractive research [6], in optical data storage based on the photo-chromic [7] and holographic surface relief gratings processes [8][9][10][11]. Azobenzene polymeric systems possess certain advantages for high optical non-linearities due to photo-induced trans-cis isomerization, molecular reorientation and non-linear absorption [9].…”

Self‐Assembly, Optical Behavior, and Permeability of a Novel Capsule Based on an Azo Dye and Polyelectrolytes

“…[11,12] It has been demonstrated that dyes can be moved by visible light irradiation over micrometer distances in CR/PDDA (PDDA = poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)) films. [13] We consider in this paper the construction of three-dimensional multilayered capsules by using CR and PDDA as building blocks, and investigating the optical behavior and permeability of the assembled hollow capsules upon illumination with visible light.…”

Synthesis, self-assembly and photoinduced surface-relief gratings of a polyacrylate-based Azo polyelectrolyte

“…However, the earlier attempt to fabricate SRGs on electrostatic layer-by-layer multilayer films of polyelectrolytes containing azo chromophore was not very successful [19]. Since the electrostatic attraction between layers existing in the multilayer films, the light-driven mass transport process was much more difficult to be achieved [20,22]. Recently, it has been proved that SRGs can be inscribed on electrostatically assembled layer-bylayer films containing low molecular weight azo dye [20,21].…”

“…Since the electrostatic attraction between layers existing in the multilayer films, the light-driven mass transport process was much more difficult to be achieved [20,22]. Recently, it has been proved that SRGs can be inscribed on electrostatically assembled layer-bylayer films containing low molecular weight azo dye [20,21]. It has also been reported that the SRG formation on azo polymer multilayer films, which are obtained by electrostatic self-assembly of a precursor polymer followed by layer-by-layer post azo functionalization [22].…”