Photoinduced Mass Transport in Azo-Polymers in 2D: Monte Carlo Study of Polarization Effects

We studied the impact of light polarization on photoinduced dynamics of model azo-polymer chains in two dimensions, using bond-fluctuation Monte Carlo simulations. For two limiting models—sensitive to and independent of light polarization—their dynamics driven by photoisomerization of azo-dyes as well as by thermal effects was studied, including characterization of mass transport and chain reorientations. The corresponding schemes of light–matter interaction promote qualitatively different dynamics of photoinduced motion of azo-polymer chains. In particular, they can inhibit or trigger off a directed mass transport along a gradient of light illumination. The generic dynamics of single chains is superdiffusive and is promoted by breaking a symmetry present in the polarization independent model.