Azobenzene-containing polymers for surface relief gratings

Well defined azobenzene containing (co)polymers have been synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization and subsequent polymeranalogeous reaction for introduction of the chromophores. Four different series were prepared varying only one of the following material parameters at a time, while keeping the others constant. Varied were the molecular weight, the azobenzene content, the glass transition temperature and the molecular architecture of the copolymers. With these four series of (co)polymers the influence of the molecular parameters on the photoinduced formation of surface relief gratings was investigated.