Electric field-assisted migration of dye molecules into organic-inorganic hybrid film by Capillary Electrophoresis Doping technique

Abstract

A new doping method of functional molecules or ions into the optical film of organic-inorganic hybrid materials is demonstrated for the fabrication of optical devises. Capillary Electrophoresis Doping (CED) technique uses the transportation of molecules based on the electrophoresis phenomena in liquid under the electric field. One of the most luminescent dyes, rhodamine 6G (R6G), is incorporated into the hybrid film synthesized from silicon and titanium alkoxides, 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MAPTMS), tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and titaniumtetraisopropoxide (TTIP), by the sol-gel process. In order to clarify the migration of R6G molecules into the hybrid materials, pre-bake treatment is applied to the hybrid film before CED treatment. R6G content in the doped region shows complex dependence on the pre-bake time. Structural changes caused by the pre-bake treatment induce different migration phenomena of R6G molecules in hybrid films; elimination of solvents, thermal curing between -C = C- bonds in organic groups.