Tunable photonic crystals based on photoinduced deformations of crosslinked liquid-crystalline polymers

A novel tunable three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystals is demonstrated based on the photoinduced deformation of the azobenzene crosslinked liquid-crystalline polymers (CLCPs). A nanoimprinting approach is utilized to create a robust CLCPs 3D photonic crystal structure. The dynamical modulated performance of the photonic crystals induced by ultraviolet and visible are measured and analyzed. It is shown that the tunable photonic crystals is reversible and stable.