A new approach to photorecording based on hindering a phase transition in photochromic chiral liquid crystalline polymers

Abstract

The phase transition from an 'isotropic smectic phase' to the proper SmA* phase in a new photochromic chiral copolymer can be prevented by illumination with non-polarized white light of low intensity. On the basis of the effect observed, a novel photorecording technique is suggested, so that the shadow image appears as a white scattering texture of the SmA* phase on the background of the transparent, optically isotropic TGB A-like phase. Optical, DSC, and X-ray studies of the polymer are reported, the photorecording set-up is described, and the first written photoimage is presented.