A new kind of amorphous molecular materials containing azobenzene chromophors has been synthesized.The precursor molecule was prepared by esterification between 1

3

5-benzenetricarbonyl chloride and N-ethyl-N-hydroxyethyl-aniline.The precursor molecule was then reacted with the diazonium salts of 5-aminoisophthalic acid to introduce donor-acceptor azobenzene chromophores at the peripheral groups.The azobenzene amorphous molecular material was characterized by the spectroscopic methods and thermal analysis.The azo compound synthesized can form stable amorphous glass.The amorphous molecular material was used to fabricate surface relief gratings (SRG) by exposing spin-coated thin films of the azo compound to an interference pattern of Ar+ laser beams at modest intensity (120 mW/cm2).The surface modulation was about 390 nm and the first order of diffraction efficiency was up to 23%.