Abstract

Optical buffing of alignment layers [1] for liquid crystal device applications has generated considerable interest recently. In order to make efficient use of optical alignment, detailed understanding of photoinduced orientation of azo-dye molecules in the alignment layer and the coupling between the dye and the bulk liquid crystal is necessary. A simple model for the latter has already been proposed [2]. In this paper we study the time evolution of photoinduced anisotropy in azo-dye doped polyimide films. The orientational kinetics of chromophores in polymers is also of interest to the χ⁽²⁾ materials community.

© 1997 Optical Society of America