Optically addressed modulator for tunable spatial polarization control.

We present an optically addressed non-pixelated spatial light modulator. The system is based on reversible photoalignment of a LC cell using a red light sensitive novel azobenzene photoalignment layer. It is an electrode-free device that manipulates the liquid crystal orientation and consequently the polarization via light without artifacts caused by electrodes.

Waveguide spectroscopic characterization of 3D anisotropies in conventionally photooriented and annealed films of liquid crystalline and amorphous azobenzene polymers.

Films of azobenzene-containing polymers were photooriented in the glassy state in such a way that the azobenzene side groups were oriented preferably perpendicular to the electric field vector. In the case of liquid crystalline polymers ,the photoinduced anisotropies generated in the glassy state were modified by thermotropic self-organization due to annealing above T(g). The conventional photoorientation process results in an oblate order.