Light-switchable behavior of a microarray of azobenzene liquid crystal polymer induced by photodeformation.

A microarray with a period of about 1 μm was fabricated from a crosslinked liquid crystal polymer (CLCP) containing azobenzene groups by using the replica molding technique. In accordance with the photoinduced deformation of the CLCP induced by the photoisomerization of the azobenzene groups, on-off switch behavior on the reflection spectra of the microarray was observed by alternate irradiation with UV-Vis light. The reversible switch behavior indicates that the azobenzene CLCP microarray has potential applications in optical actuators.