In-plane anisotropic photoresponse in all-polymer planar microcavities

All-polymer flexible planar microcavities containing the photochromic poly((4-pentyloxy-3'-methyl-4'-(6-methacryloxyhexyloxy))azobenzene) have been prepared. The reversible photoisomerization of the azobenzene moiety under CW polarized and unpolarized irradiation induces a large, well-defined and anisotropic change of the spectral position of the microcavity mode. This proof-of-concept results may be exploited for all-optical switches or modulators.306