  We show that the mechanical effect of light on the orientational ordering of
the crystalline axis of a mesophase can be used to control the dynamics of the
optical response of liquid crystal infiltrated photonic structures. The
demonstration is made using a one-dimensional periodic structure whose
periodicity is broken by the presence of a nematic liquid crystal defect layer.
In this study we report on output light polarization and/or intensity dynamics
that depends on the initial molecular ordering and incident light wavelength
and intensity.
