Photo-fabrication of electroactive polymers for photonics.

Novel ate chromophore containing polymers have been synthesized both chemic ally and enzymatically. Surface initiated mechanism for relief structure fo rm ation on the azo polymer films have been studied for a high molecular we ight azo functionalized poly(acrylic acid) by restricting the free surface in a controlled manner. Enzyme catalyzed poly(phenol) and polyaniline conta ining azo functional groups have also been synthesized and for the first ti me the feasibility of these biologically derived electroactive polymers for surface relief grating applications are undertaken.