start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=10 cd-vols= no-issue= article-no= start-page=4159 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2019 dt-pub=20190913 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Ultrafast isomerization-induced cooperative motions to higher molecular orientation in smectic liquid-crystalline azobenzene molecules en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=The photoisomerization of molecules is widely used to control the structure of soft matter in both natural and synthetic systems. However, the structural dynamics of the molecules during isomerization and their subsequent response are difficult to elucidate due to their complex and ultrafast nature. Herein, we describe the ultrafast formation of higherorientation of liquid-crystalline (LC) azobenzene molecules via linearly polarized ultraviolet light (UV) using ultrafast time-resolved electron diffraction. The ultrafast orientation is caused by the trans-to-cis isomerization of the azobenzene molecules. Our observations are consistent with simplified molecular dynamics calculations that revealed that the molecules are aligned with the laser polarization axis by their cooperative motion after photoisomerization. This insight advances the fundamental chemistry of photoresponsive molecules in soft matter as well as their ultrafast photomechanical applications. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=HadaMasaki en-aut-sei=Hada en-aut-mei=Masaki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=YamaguchiDaisuke en-aut-sei=Yamaguchi en-aut-mei=Daisuke kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=IshikawaTadahiko en-aut-sei=Ishikawa en-aut-mei=Tadahiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=SawaTakayoshi en-aut-sei=Sawa en-aut-mei=Takayoshi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=TsurutaKenji en-aut-sei=Tsuruta en-aut-mei=Kenji kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=IshikawaKen en-aut-sei=Ishikawa en-aut-mei=Ken kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=KoshiharaShin-Ya en-aut-sei=Koshihara en-aut-mei=Shin-Ya kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=HayashiYasuhiko en-aut-sei=Hayashi en-aut-mei=Yasuhiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= en-aut-name=KatoTakashi en-aut-sei=Kato en-aut-mei=Takashi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=9 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Department of Chemistry & Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=School of Science,Tokyo Institute of Technology kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=School of Science,Tokyo Institute of Technology kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=9 en-affil=Department of Chemistry & Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo kn-affil= END