INFLUENCE OF SUPRAMOLECULAR ORDER ON THE LIGHT-INDUCED REORIENTATION PROCESS IN PHOTOCHROMIC SIDE-GROUP POLYMERS

A new approach for optical data storage is presented using amorphous f ilms of photochromic polymers. Concerning the tendency to form supramo lecular order these polymers are situated at the border between amorph ous and Liquid Crystalline Polymers (LCP's). The light-induced reorien tation of the photochromic azobenzene moieties by an angular-dependent photoselection process may cause a reorientation of the non-photochro mic moieties. In this way an optical axis is generated in the initiall y amorphous films by a photochemically induced physical orientation pr ocess. The resulting values of optical anisotropy are close to those o f aligned LCP films.