Photoinduced surface patterning of azobenzene-containing supramolecular dendrons, dendrimers and dendronized polymers
Abstract
Ionic complexes of azobenzenes and dendritic structures are shown to exhibit efficient light-induced mass transport upon irradiation with a light interference pattern. Surface-relief gratings (SRGs) with modulation depths of up to 550 nm were successfully inscribed. We compare the SRG formation in three generations of supramolecular dendrons, dendrimers, and dendronized polymers and demonstrate that the grating formation process is destructed by the existence of self-assembled structures as well as by overly large size of the dendronic complexes.