Molecular relaxation in a photosensitive liquid-crystalline polymeric glass former

We have measured the relaxation to equilibrium in the supercooled nematic phase upon approach to of a fragile liquid-crystalline photosensitive polymeric glass former. Perturbation is introduced in a non-conventional way by optical pumping (orientation) of the nematic polydomain phase. Relaxation back to equilibrium is followed both on the microscopic scale, by means of depolarized time-resolved Raman experiments, and on the macroscopic scale, by means of quartz crystal microgravimetry.