Polarization effects in photoisomerization of azo dyes in polymeric films

The reversible cis-trans photoisomerization of disperse red 1 (DR1) in PMMA thin films has been demonstrated previously by using the Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) method. In this communication photoisomerization of DR1 is shown to be strongly polarization sensitive. This new property of dye doped polymeric films could lead to practical applications in integrated optics. A simple molecular interpretation is given. Illumination of a DR1 sample by polarization fringes produces a grating of molecular orientation able to diffract a probe beam.

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