Photoinduced microstructures and gratings in azo-polymer films

Two different optical structuring of organic materials using optical beams is described. Both methods rely on repeated trans-cis isomerization effects induced by resonant light absorption in polymers films containing azo-dyes. The first method is the formation of an optically induced second harmonic grating with phase-matched pattern related to the net reorientation of azo-dyes induced by light. The second method is the self structuring of hexagonal patterns in polymer films related to the net translation of azo-dyes induced by light.