Surface Relief Gratings in Host–Guest Supramolecular Materials

Surface relief gratings are one of the most promising applications for azobenzene-containing polymers (azo-polymers). Systems investigated to date have contained single-component azo-polymers. The introduction of a liquid-crystal molecule to the system, presented here, gives rise to a striking enhancement of surface relief grating formation, due to the strong molecular cooperativity and increased fluidity.