Yiliang Wu

Optical Switching and Image Storage by Means of Photochromic Liquid Crystals

Abstract Optical switching and image storage have been examined by means of photochromic polymer liquid crystals (LCs). The photoisomerization of photochromic moieties, which act as a photoresponsive switch, induced the LC-to-isotropic phase transition and the change in alignment of LCs, and they resulted in optical switching and image storage.

Photoinduced orientation of azobenzene liquid crystalline side chain homopolymers

A simple casting film of Poly(6-[4-(4- cyanophenyl)diazenylphenyl oxy] hexyl methacrylate) (PM6ABCN) was made on an untreated surface of a glass substrate and adopted as a typical sample to study photoinduced orientation of azobenzene liquid crystalline side chain homopolymers. Below Tg and after irradiation of light at 366 nm, 400 nm, and 436 nm, respectively, the same;l shows different UV spectra which can give an expedition on the steady state of the photoinduced orientation. Under various conditions photoinduced orientation of PM6ABCN was examined, and results show that the orientation process is not only dependent on the light strength, but also on the temperature and the wavelength of polarized light used. The maximum extent of orientation below Tg can be obtained within 100 s under irradiation of polarized light of 20 mW/cm2 at 400 nm, and irradiation at 366 nm causes a lower extent of orientation than that by irradiation at 400 nm and 436 nm because relative more cis isomer was produced in the steady state.