Surface relief grating and liquid crystal alignment on azobenzene functionalized polymers

Abstract Surface relief grating (SRG) materials containing cinnamate moiety as a photocrosslinker, which possess azobenzene functionalized polymers, were synthesized and their surface topography, thermal stabilities, and aligning of liquid crystal (LC) molecules were investigated. The measured values of diffraction efficiency depend on the functionalization ratio of azobenzene. The resulting films were photofabricated by Ar + ion laser by a one step process. The SRG surface could align the LC molecules homogeneously along the grating direction.