Micropatterning of light-sensitive liquid-crystal elastomers.
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.
Devetak
Miha
M
J. Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Zupancic
Blaz
B
Lebar
Andrija
A
Umek
Polona
P
Zalar
Bostjan
B
Domenici
Valentina
V
Ambrozic
Gabriela
G
Zigon
Majda
M
Copic
Martin
M
Drevensek-Olenik
Irena
I
D020724:Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D008027:Light; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013499:Surface Properties
D020724:Elastomers