Non-local spatial frequency response of photopolymer materials containing chain transferagents: I. Theoretical modelling

Abstract

The non-local photopolymerization driven diffusion (NPDD) model predicts that areduction in the non-local response length within a photopolymer material willimprove its high spatial frequency response. The introduction of a chain transferagent reduces the average molecular weight of polymer chains formed during freeradical polymerization. Therefore a chain transfer agent (CTA) provides a practicalmethod to reduce the non-local response length. An extended NPDD model ispresented, which includes the chain transfer reaction and most major photochemicalprocesses. The addition of a chain transfer agent into an acrylamide/polyvinyl alcoholphotopolymer material is simulated and the predictions of the model are examined. Thepredictions of the model are experimentally examined in part II of this paper.