Polymer–chalcogenide glass nanocomposites for amplitude–phase modulated optical relief recording

Abstract

The main objective of this work was to combine the positive characteristics of transparent photopolymers and light-sensitive chalcogenide glasses, with aim to improve the amplitude-phase modulation characteristics of in situ optically recorded photonic elements on the surface, and in the bulk of thick composite layer on a given substrate. The positive results were obtained due to the developed technology routes of nanocomposite (NC) fabrication by intermixing selected, optically tunable, VIS-NIR transparent and high refractive index As-S (Se) nanoparticles (NPs) produced by chemical dissolution, and acrylate monomers with initiators. Subsequent photopolymerization of such nanocomposite occurs during optical recording photonic elements and is supplemented by mass-transport processes, which enhance relief parameters. Structure, optical parameters of the new light-sensitive media and conditions of one step recording of optical elements in it were investigated.

Laser Light Durability and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Acrylate Polymer−Chalcogenide Glass−Gold Nanocomposites

“…Dodecanethiol-functionalized gold NPs of 5 nm size (Nanoprobes, №3014, Au NPs) and SiO 2 NPs of 7 nm size (Aldrich №066K0110) were used as standard additions in our experiments besides the chalcogenide NPs, which were made in our laboratory from bulk As 2 S 3 glasses according to the previously developed chemical dissolution route. [10] The following types of monomer liquid NCs were prepared. 1) NC1 mixture of monomers UDMA/PEA/AmAc were prepared.…”

“…The solid NC layers for optical measurements were obtained on glass substrata by photopolymerization of liquid layers located between the oxide glass substrate and mylar cover film with separating spacers of necessary thickness, usually between 30 and 100 μm, like it was also described in other studies. [9,10] The NCs were polymerized by UV curing (standard UV lamp source, 7W) in the form of 30-100 μm-thick layers on glass substrata. For separate optical measurements and comparisons, single, 3 μm-thick As 2 S 3 layers were prepared by thermal evaporation of As 2 S 3 glass in vacuum onto pure glass slides or slides covered by Au nanodots.…”

“…In the present paper, we performed investigations of the aforementioned problems for the selected row of previously developed urethaneÀacrylate NCs with silicon oxide, As 2 S 3 chalcogenide glass, and gold NPs, [6][7][8][9][10] with accent on high-intensity illuminations, necessary for possible applications in optical and photonic elements working at high laser intensities.…”

“…These characteristics are important for the development of photonic elements, like diffraction gratings, waveguides, photonic crystals for extension of their applications toward integrated optical sensors, security elements, optical memory, and switches in telecommunication systems. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Among a number of matrix polymers, acrylates are widely used due to the rather simple, cheap technology and compatibility with different fillers when producing optical materials and elements, for example, diffractive gratings. [6,7] In our previous works, we used acrylateÀurethane-based lightsensitive composites mostly to develop direct, in situ optical recording of relief diffractive gratings with high efficiency.…”

“…Au NPs are efficient plasmon generation sites, influencing the polymerization process and also the resulting parameters of the recorded photonic elements. [9,10] Composites with chalcogenide semiconductor glass NPs seem to be especially interesting, as the chalcogenide glasses, like As 2 S 3 in bulk or thin-film form, possess high (n > 2) refractive index in the 0.5-10 μm spectral range. [13][14][15] These can be reversibly or irreversibly modulated by laser irradiation with quanta energies close to the bandgap of these materials (%2.3 eV for As 2 S 3 ) or by thermal treatment up to the softening temperatures of the glass.…”