Photofabrication of superhelix-like patterns on azobenzene polymer films

The light-induced formation of the superhelix-like patterning on the surface of an azobenzene polymer film was demonstrated. It seems that the LISH might be due to the locally developed photoinduced helical orientation of the azobenzene polymer and subsequent formation of much larger secondary structure through the chiral interactions between helically oriented polymer molecules under periodically modulating light intensity. Since the helix-like patterns were well aligned in parallel in a large area on the surface, these light-induced superhelix structures may be useful as novel templates for chiral synthesis, separation, and bionanotechnology.