Abstract
We have investigated the orientation of polyimide (Azo-PI) molecules containing azobenzene in the backbone structure induced by single oblique angle irradiation with unpolarized light (UP-light). The UP-light irradiation was performed at the incidence angle of 45 degrees on the 16 nm thick film of polyamic (Azo-PAA) acid that is the precursor of Azo-PI. The UP-light exposure was varied up to 882 J/cm2. After thermal imidization of the photo-treated film, the orientational distribution of the Azo-PI backbone structure was determined using infrared absorption spectroscopy. We found that the backbone structure rotates toward the minimum electric field direction of the UP-light in the Azo-PAA film during the UP-light irradiation.
