Light-induced director-controlled microassembly of dye molecules from a liquid crystal matrix

We report on a light-induced phenomenon in dye-doped liquid crystals (LCs) with the distinctive features of molecular transport and assembly at micron scales. Under single-beam laser irradiation, the dye molecules phase separ ate from the LC host and assemble onto the cell substrate. Although the int ensity of incident light is uniform within the irradiated area, the density of the adsorbed dye is modulated in accord with the director modulation of the LC. The dye molecules form a surface imprint that portrays orientation al distortions of the LC host. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S00 21-8979(99)04921-X].