Thermally driven light modulator

Figure 1.9 A gel-in-gel thermally driven light modulator at 20 °C (a, c) and 60 °C (b, d) (Reprinted by permission from Tsutsui, FI., Mikami, M. and Akashi, R. All-polymer-gel light modulator consisting of a gel-in-gel system, Adv. Mater., 16, 1925-9, Copyright (2004) Wiley-VCFI Verlag GmbH).

Geue et al. investigated the thermal erasure of SRGs obtained via light-driven mass transport, at various temperatures, which allowed them to estimate the activation energy for erasure to be 2.6 eV. For erasing at T < Tg, the SRG was erased by flow of polymer material perpendicular to the initial surface, accompanied by the formation of an intrinsic density grating, as commented on in the work of reference 95. At T > Tg, the lateral density modulation was equalized by a lateral flow of material. 

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