Evaluation of photoinduced change in refractive index of a polymer film doped with an azobenzene liquid crystal by means of a prism-coupling method

Journal Article · Sat Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2076432· OSTI ID:20719576

Kurihara, Hideo; Shishido, Atsushi; Ikeda, Tomiki ^[1]

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1. Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R1-11, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan)

The photoinduced change in refractive index of poly(methyl methacrylate) films doped with an azobenzene liquid crystal was measured by the prism-coupling method. Upon irradiation of the film with a high-pressure mercury lamp at 366 nm, the coupling angles shifted and then recovered to the initial position by turning off the light. The change in refractive index was found to be 2x10{sup -3}, which is attributed to the reversible photoisomerization of the azobenzene moieties.

• OSTI ID: 20719576
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 98, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2076432; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
DOPED MATERIALS
IRRADIATION
ISOMERIZATION
LIGHT BULBS
LIQUID CRYSTALS
MERCURY
POLYMERS
PRISMS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
THIN FILMS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION