Micropatterning of light-sensitive liquid-crystal elastomers

作者：Devetak Miha; Zupancic Blaz; Lebar Andrija; Umek Polona; Zalar Bostjan; Domenici Valentina; Ambrozic Gabriela; Zigon Majda; Copic Martin; Drevensek Olenik Irena^*

来源：Physical Review E, 2009, 80(5): 050701.

DOI：10.1103/PhysRevE.80.050701

• elastomers
• holographic gratings
• isomerisation
• liquid crystal phase transformations
• nematic liquid crystals
• photochemistry
• thin films

We demonstrate that photoisomerizable liquid-crystal elastomer soft films can be used as tunable holographic gratings. Optomechanical mechanism of imprinting one-dimensional grating structure into the soft matrix by two-beam uv laser interference can be clearly resolved from the time dependence of the reading beam diffraction patterns. We analyze the observed response in terms of cis-trans isomerization-controlled modulation of the grating profile. The grating period can be tuned reversibly by stretching or contraction of the specimen, either thermomechanically or by applying external stress. Temperature-induced modifications of the grating parameters in the vicinity of the nematic-paranematic phase transition are also examined.

• 出版日期2009-11