Electrophysical and photophysical properties of films made from an azobenzene-functionalized polymeric cobalt complex

Electric conductivity, photoconductivity, and electro-and magneto-optical properties of films from a novel polymeric complex of 4-methacryloyloxy-(4′-carboxy-3′-hydroxy)azobenzene with cobalt were studied. Electric conductivity and visible photoconductivity are determined by the orientation effects of azobenzene groups and by charge-carrier generation and transport in the polymer films. A change in the spatial orientation of the photoinduced dipole moments of azobenzene groups in an external electric or magnetic field is accounted for by the appearance of forces acting on charged magnetic metal ions that are rigidly bound to these fragments.