Azo-polymer spiral surface relief formation with rotating Hermite-Gaussian beams

Azobenzene containing polymers (azopolymers) exhibit photo-induced mass transport via trans-cis/cis-trans photoisomerization cycles, thereby allowing the formation of reversible surface relief in an azo-polymer thin film [1] . Such photo-induced surface relief formation can be potentially applied to develop unique rewritable optical devices, such as rewritable optical circuits and rewritable optical data storages [2] .