FILM FORMING MATERIAL AND PREPARATION OF SURFACE RELIEF AND OPTICALLY ANISOTROPIC STRUCTURES BY IRRADIATING A FILM OF THE SAID MATERIAL

摘要

The present invention is directed to a film forming, photoactive, homogeneously mixed material comprising a complex prepared from (a) at least one ionic photosensitive compound which may undergo a photoreaction, selected from photoisomerizations, photocycloadditions and photoinduced rearrangements, and/or (a′) at least one photosensitive polyelectrolyte (“second polyelectrolyte”) carrying residues which may undergo said photoreaction, and (b) at least one (“first”) polyelectrolyte carrying charges which are opposite to those of the active groups of the photosensitive material. This material has unique photochemical properties in that non-scattering, optically clear films may prepared therefrom which allow light-induced generation of optical anisotropy and of topological surface structures, e.g. such as surface relief gratings (SRG).