Surface relief gratings generated by a photocrosslinkable polymer with styrylpyridine side chains

The formation of holographic surface relief gratings on thin films of a liq uid-crystalline polymethacrylate with styrylpyridine side chains is describ ed. A film of the polymer was treated with hydrogen chloride to protonate t he side chain moieties, followed by holographic exposure to p-polarized Ar laser beams at 488 nm and by post-exposure baking to give rise to surface relief gratings. The depth of the surface relief in a typical case was 15 n m which is approximately 15% of the original film thickness. On the basis o f the temperature dependence of diffraction efficiencies of the grating, th e mechanism of the generation of the relief gratings is discussed. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)00818-4].