Quantitative modeling of the reaction/diffusion kinetics of two-chemistry diffusive photopolymers

A general strategy for characterizing the reaction/diffusion kinetics of photopolymer media is proposed, in which key processes are decoupled and independently measured. This strategy enables prediction of a material’s potential refractive index change, solely on the basis of its chemical components. The degree to which a material does not reach this potential reveals the fraction of monomer that has participated in unwanted reactions, reducing spatial resolution and lifetime. This approach is demonstrated for a model material similar to commercial media, achieving quantitative predictions of refractive index response over three orders of exposure dose (~1 to ~103 mJ cm−2) and feature size (0.35 to 500 μm).