Open AccessPhotochromism and diffraction grating in cyanoazobenzene polymer films
Author(s) -
M. Serwadczak,
Michael Wübbenhorst,
S. Kucharski
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
proceedings of spie, the international society for optical engineering/proceedings of spie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Conference proceedings
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.192
H-Index - 176
eISSN - 1996-756X
pISSN - 0277-786X
DOI - 10.1117/12.680057
Subject(s) - materials science , refractive index , polymer , ellipsometry , mesophase , diffraction efficiency , diffraction , amorphous solid , diffraction grating , mesogen , optics , photochromism , thin film , optoelectronics , liquid crystal , grating , crystallography , composite material , nanotechnology , chemistry , liquid crystalline , physics
Two series of photochromic copolymathacrylates containing cyanoazobenzene chromophores as side chains were described. The series with shorter ethylene spacer between mesogen and main polymethacrylate chain was amorphous, whereas the second one with longer ethoxyethylene spacer was liquid crystalline forming smectic C mesophase above Tg. The materials were deposited on glass substrates via spin coating and casting technique to provide thin transparent films. The reversible change of refractive index of the films on illumination with white light was determined by ellipsometry. The difference of real part of the refractive index of the sample was in the range 0.0067-0.0210 depending on the polymer. Formation of diffraction grating was achieved by two beam coupling arrangement using a 532 nm laser diode . The diffraction efficiency for the first order diffraction was in the range of 1.5-2.1% for the homopolymers.status: publishe
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