L. Nikolova

Polarization holography. 1: A new high-efficiency organic material with reversible photoinduced birefringence.

A new organic material for polarization holographic recording--azo-dye methyl-orange, introduced in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)--is fabricated and investigated. It possesses all the good characteristics of the known polarization-sensitive materials--high sensitivity, reversibility, etc.--but excels them substantially in the magnitude of the photoinduced birefringence: delta n > 10(-3). This makes possible the recording of reversible polarization gratings with diffraction efficiency over 30%. Depending on the conditions of production and subsequent mechanical and thermal treatments the layers of methyl orange/PVA may also have intrinsic birefringence. In this paper the results of experimental investigations into the properties of this new material are reported.

Diffraction Efficiency and Selectivity of Polarization Holographic Recording

Polarization holographic recording, based on photoinducing optical anisotropy in the recording material, is examined. The properties (diffraction efficiency and selectivity) are discussed for two t...

Polarization holography. 2: Polarization holographic gratings in photoanisotropic materials with and without intrinsic birefringence

Results are reported of experimental investigations on the diffraction efficiency and its polarization dependence of holographic phase polarization gratings in a photoanisotropic medium methyl orange/PVA with intrinsic birefringence. A comparative study of layers with different intrinsic birefringence was conducted. The conditions—initial birefringence and a type of polarization recording—were found to have high diffraction efficiency (>30%) and strong dependence on the direction of polarization of the linearly polarized readout beam. The results are in agreement with the theoretical considerations on such gratings.

Polarization holographic gratings in side-chain azobenzene polyesters with linear and circular photoanisotropy

We investigate thin phase polarization holographic gratings recorded with two waves with orthogonal linear polarizations in materials in which illumination with linearly/circularly polarized light gives rise to linear/circular birefringence. The theoretical analysis shows that the presence of circular photoanisot-ropy changes significantly the diffraction characteristics of the gratings. The intensities of the waves diffracted in the +1 and -1 orders of diffraction and their ratio depend substantially on the reconstructing-wave polarization. Experiments with films of side-chain liquid-crystalline azobenzene polyester that is a photoanisotropic material of the considered type confirm the unusual polarization properties. It is shown that polarization holography may be used for real-time simultaneous measurement of photoinduced linear and circular birefringence.

An analysis of the anisotropic and topographic gratings in a side-chain liquid crystalline azobenzene polyester

We have examined in detail the formation of surface relief structures in azobenzene polyesters formed by polarization holography with orthogonally circularly polarized laser beams. We show that it is possible to separate the contribution to the diffraction efficiency into an anisotropic part and a surface relief part by examining the polarization content of the first order diffracted beam. By studying the dynamics of the growth of the grating, we show that the gratings due to anisotropy and surface relief appear at the same time. Atomic force microscopic investigations of the film after irradiation reveal a strongly polarization dependent surface relief pattern.

High-sensitivity material with reversible photo-induced anisotropy

Abstract A new high-sensitivity material with reversible photo-induced anisotropy, suitable for real-time recording, is investigated. The material (methyl-red dye introduced in a polymer layer) requires low recording intensities (tens of mW cm-2) and possesses excellent reusability.

Photoinduced circular anisotropy in side-chain azobenzene polyesters

Abstract We report for the first time the inducing of large circular anisotropy in previously unoriented films of side-chain azobenzene polyesters on illumination with circularly polarized light at a wavelength of 488 nm. The circular dichroism and optical activity are measured simultaneously in real time at two wavelengths, 488 nm and 633 nm. The photoinduced optical activity has been measured to be 104 deg/cm and the circular dichroism has been found to be on the order of 0.3.

Diffraction from Polarization Holographic Gratings with Surface Relief in Side-chain Azobenzene Polyesters

We investigate the polarization properties of holographic gratings in side-chain azobenzene polyesters in which an anisotropic grating that is due to photoinduced linear and circular birefringence is recorded in the volume of the material and a relief grating appears on the surface. A theoretical model is proposed to explain the experimental results, making it possible to understand the influence of the different photoinduced effects. It is shown that at low intensity the polarization properties of the diffraction at these gratings are determined by the interaction of the linear and circular photobirefringences, and at larger intensity the influence of the surface relief dominates the effect of the circular anisotropy. Owing to the high recording efficiency of the polyesters, the ±1-order diffracted waves change the polarization interference pattern during the holographic recording, resulting in the appearance of a surface relief with doubled frequency.

Polarization holography. 3: Some applications of polarization holographic recording

Possible applications of polarization holography are demonstratedrecording of pairs of superimposed holograms with one spatial frequency; logical operations on two data arrays recorded simultaneously in the material; double-exposure holographic interferometry.

Self-induced light polarization rotation in azobenzene-containing polymers

We report here a light-induced phenomenon—a self-induced rotation of the azimuth of elliptically polarized light passing through photobirefringent azopolymers. The experiments are carried out with films of amorphous and liquid-crystalline polymers. It has been shown that the induced rotation angle depends on the ellipticity of the input light. A theoretical analysis of the phenomenon has been done and it has been shown that light induces chiral structure in the polymer films.