Light-induced circular birefringence in cyanoazobenzene side-chain liquid-crystalline polyester films

We report the inducement of large circular birefringence (optical activity) in films of a cyanoazobenzene side-chain liquid-crystalline polyester on illumination with circularly polarized light. The polyester has no chiral groups and is initially isotropic. The induced optical rotation is up to 5 degrees mu m(-1) at 633 nm and three to four times larger at 488 nm. The effect is explained through photoinduced changes in the structure of the polymer films due to reorientation of the rod-like chromophores and angular momentum transfer from the circularly polarized light to the azobenzene side chains.