Pulsed light-induced birefringence and polarization holography recording in epoxy polymer with azobenzene

Photoinduced anisotropy and vector holographic recording by pulsed (10 ns) 532 nm laser radiation have been studied in a polymer based on bisphenol-A diglycydyl ether with 4-aminiazobenzene molecules covalently attached to the polymer chain. It is shown that nonlinear refraction in the time range from microseconds to several hours in the polymer is mainly determined by the induced anisotropy caused by the reorientation of azobenzene molecules in the field of linearly polarized laser radiation. Value and dynamics of the induced anisotropy have been measured.