We synthesized polymethacrylate and polyurethane bearing a photosensitive azobenzene chromophore. Photo-induced birefringence of the thin film was observed under a linearly polarized light(λ = 532 nm). Dynamic behaviors of birefringence in two polymers were investigated in terms of the rate constants of growth and decay. An induced dichroism was observed from polarized UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy. Layers of two photosensitive polymers were used for aligning liquid crystal (LC) molecules instead of one of the rubbed polyimide layers in the conventional twisted nematic cell. For producing homogeneous alignment of a nematic LC molecule, a linearly polarized light was exposed to the films of two polymers. The stability of the LC alignment upon the linearly polarized light exposure was also studied.