The invention relates to novel monodisperse or polydisperse compounds, in general named DNO (diamino acid N&agr;-substituted oligopeptides), preferably low molecular weight polypeptides, e.g., based on ornithine, lysine, diaminobutyric acid, diaminopropionic acid, aminoethylglycine or other amino acids or peptides having azobenzenes or other physicially functional groups, e.g., photoresponsive groups, as side chains. These compounds may be synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis techniques. Materials, e.g., thin films, comprising such compounds may be used for optical storage of information (holographic data storage), nonlinear optics (NLO), as photoconductors, photonic band-gap materials, electrically conducting materials, electroluminescent materials, piezo-electric materials, pyroelectric materials, magnetic materials, ferromagnetic materials, ferroelectric materials, photorefractive materials, or materials in which light-induced conformational changes can be produced. Optical anisotropy may reversibly be generated with polarized laser light whereby a hologram is formed. First order diffraction efficiencies of up to around 80% have been obtained.