Depth-selective microscopic observation of a photomobile liquid crystal polymer under UV illumination.
By using the depth selective imaging method, we studied the UV induced change in a photomobile liquid crystalline polymer film. With 1 μm depth resolution, each slice inside the film was selectively observed. A network-like structure mixed with the ordered and disordered regions of molecules in the middle of the film, and a rubbed polymer layer at the bottom of the film were observed. In each slice of the film, the phase change induced by UV light was observed strongly dependent on the director direction, which indicates the ordering change of the liquid crystalline molecules in the director direction. It took several tens of seconds for the ordering change caused by the collaborative interaction between the molecules. Furthermore, it was suggested that the UV induced change travelled from the bottom layer to the middle layer on the micron order.
Department of Applied Chemistry, Chuo University, 1-13-27, Kasuga, Bunkyo, Tokyo 112-8551, Japan. kkata@kc.chuo-u.ac.jp.
Kenji
K
Katayama
Youngwoon
Y
Choi
Jeon Woong
JW
Kang
Zahid
Z
Yaqoob
Peter T C
PT
So
Tomomi
T
Fujii
Shota
S
Kuwahara
Kiyohide
K
Takado
Tomiki
T
Ikeda
D016880:Anisotropy; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D011108:Polymers; C422409:liquid crystal polymer