Photoinduced orientation of a photoinactive liquid crystalline polymer doped with N-benzylideneaniline derivatives

Abstract

Doping photosensitive N-benzylideneaniline (NBA) derivatives in a photoinactive polymethacrylate with benzoic acid (BA) side groups (P6BAM) produces a photoinduced orientation in a P6BAM film and its patterning upon exposure to linearly polarized (LP) 365-nm light and subsequent annealing. Two types of NBA derivatives are used: NBA1 containing a carboxylic acid substituent effectively generates a significant photoinduced reorientation. The H-bonds among the carboxylic acids of BA and NBA1 play an important role in the photoinduced orientation.