Photoinduced Reorientation of Polymethacrylate Film with 4-Methoxyazobenzene Side Groups Using Linearly Polarized He–Ne Laser and Annealing

This letter describes thermally enhanced reorientation of azobenzene-containing polymer films by linearly polarized (LP) 633 nm He–Ne laser light. Axis-selective photoreaction of the Z-isomers and subsequent annealing generated parallel reorientation with a reorientational order larger than +0.8 although the film was almost off-resonant at 633 nm.