Light Tracking and Light Guiding Fiber Arrays by Adjusting the Location of Photoresponsive Azobenzene in Liquid Crystal Networks

The integration of light tracking and light guiding within fiber arrays is an intriguing challenge. In this study, an advanced drop casting/drawing method is applied to fabricate a fiber array capable of not only performing sunflower-inspired light tracking, but also light guiding. The fiber arrays are constructed with various liquid crystal networks by adjusting the location of photoresponsive azobenzene moieties in the polymer network to understand the correlation between the extent of photoresponse and azobenzene location. Incorporating the azobenzene in the main chain oligomer renders these fibers with advanced photoresponse in both air and water. The fibers are able to track a light source and to guide the collected light, making these responsive actuator arrays potentially attractive for advanced photovoltaic and optical elements.