Optical data storage azopolymers

Synthetic strategies to azopolymers for optical data storage... 

These modifications include variations on the length of the spacer which connects the azobenzene and the polymeric chain in side-chain azopolymers, or the electronic nature of substituents at the azobenzene moiety (Ruhmann, 1997). This requires the synthesis of appropriate monomers. Conventional techniques can be used for the polymerization of azobenzene monomers. For instance, step polymerization has been used by Hvilsted and co-workers to synthesize different series of liquid crystalline polyesters with potential applications in reversible optical data storage. These polyesters have a side-chain architecture, which synthesis is represented in Fig. 16.6 (Hvilsted et al, 1995). Being a modular synthetic approach, the influence of different structural parameters on the photoinduced optical properties can be evaluated in relatively simple manner. 

---