Structural Organization of Stretchable and UV Light-Responsive One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals in films and solutions, probed by in-situ U

This proposal aims to investigate the structural properties of two types of one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystals using in-situ USAXS/SAXS/WAXS: (i) stretchable, UV light-responsive 1D photonic crystals in films; (ii) UV light-responsive 1D photonic in solutions. For the stretchable photonic crystals in films, we will study how their periodicity evolves under mechanical strain and UV light exposure in real time. For the UV light-responsive photonic crystals in solution, we will explore the impact of UV light-induced conformational changes on their nanostructure. Combination of USAXS/SAXS/WAXS will allow to observe changes in domain sizes and orientations at spatial scales ranging from sub-nanometer to hundreds of nanometers. This research aims to provide a detailed understanding of how these materials respond to mechanical deformation and UV light exposure, ultimately guiding the design of flexible and tunable photonic devices.