Thin Layers of Low Molecular Azobenzene Materials with Effective Light-Induced Mass Transport

The very effective significant corrugation of a film surface (SRG) formation in the novel azobenzene-containing materials with three azobenzene units was investigated. The materials were prepared by amide formation through reaction of 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride (BTC) with amino-substituted azobenzene derivative in anhydrous dimethoxyethane at room temperature in the presence of triethylamine in analogy to the reaction of BTC and aniline. The thickness of the films was in the range of 50-2000 nm as measured by profilometer. The photo-induced orientation was investigated by exposing the films to the linearly polarized light of 488 nm with spatially homogeneous intensity of 300 mW cm-1. The formation of three-armed 4-aminoazobenzene (AAB) product was proved by ESI-mass spectroscopy. While the inscription rate for the latter polymer material becomes zero as the film thickness approaches 100 nm, the inscription rate of 0.0027min-1 was observed for the material based on BTC + AAB.