Holographic grating recording in azobenzene functionalized polymers

A group of 22 polymers have been synthesized to test their suitability for recording holographic gratings. Polyamides, polyimides, polyesters and their combinations were functionalized with pendant azobenzene groups containing single or double N=N. The polymers were studied using a standard degenerate two-wave mixing technique, which enables measurement of light-induced periodic modification of polymer refractive index and absorption coefficient by analysis of the diffracted light. Two qualitatively different configurations of the holographic polarization recording were used, s-s and s-p. The relationship between structural properties of polymer matrix and azobenzene groups and the holographic grating recording kinetics and light diffraction efficiency was investigated.