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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 29, 2018
Photocontrolled translational motion of a microscale solid object on azobenzene-doped liquid-crystalline films
Abu Kausar1, Hiroto Nagano, Tomonari Ogata
1Department of Applied Chemistry and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan.
Abstract:
On the move: Irradiation of azobenzene-doped liquid crystalline films with UV/Vis light results in the photocontrolled translational motion of microscale solid object on the surface, which occurs through cis-trans isomerization of the azobenzene unit. Irradiation with an Ar(+) laser (488 nm) resulted in precise control of the translational motion so that the particle always moved away from the irradiation position (see picture).

