New azobenzene polymers for light-controlled optical elements

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics Vol. 14; no. 10-12; pp. 823 - 824
• Main Authors: PETROVA, T. S, MANCHEVA, I, NACHEVA, E, TOMOVA, N, DRAGOSTINOVA, V, TODOROV, T, NIKOLOVA, L
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Norwell, MA Springer 01-10-2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anisotropy; Applied sciences; Dyes; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Illumination; Methylene; Monomers; Optical materials; Optics; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Physics; Polarized light; Polymers; Polymers and organics; Polymers with particular properties; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Azo compound; Free radical polymerization; Side chain; Light sensitive polymer; Acrylate polymer; Photoisomerization; Optical properties; Preparation; Birefringence; Optical material; Holographic storage; Experimental study
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1026134011123

Three new azobenzene polymers have been synthesized by polymerization of cyanazobenzene monomers with different numbers of methylene groups attached to the cyanazobenzene dye. The rearrangement of the anisotropic azobenzene moieties in them was initiated by illumination with linearly polarized light (488 nm), and the optical anisotropy due to this arrangement has been investigated. The photobirefringence can be erased by illumination with circularly polarized light and re-induced to the same value with linearly polarized light. We show that films from these polymers can be used as optically controlled reversible polarization elements.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]