Effect of holographic grating period on its relaxation in a molecular glassy film

Holographic grating (HG) relaxation has been experimentally studied in 5,5,5-triphenylpentyl 4-((4-(bis(5,5,5-triphenylpentyl)amino) phenyl) diazenyl) benzoate molecular glassy film for HG periods (Λ) of 0.50, 2.0 and 8.6 μm. A strong effect of HG period on its relaxation is found manifesting itself differently in the volume and on the surface. The volume part of HG is fairly stable during 40 days if Λ > 0.50μm whereas the surface part of HG (most probably, surface relief grating) exhibits relaxational self-enhancement which is maximal at Λ = 8.6μm. It is proposed that thermostimulated directional mass transfer in the process of relaxation can be responsible for this relaxational self-enhancement. Weak HG recording and relatively fast HG decay takes place at Λ=0.50 μm. Therefore, effective chromophore photoorientation domain of about 0.2 μm is supposed.