Photoconductivity in a photocrosslinkable second-order nonlinear optical polymer

Abstract

Photoconductivity measurements on a stable photocrosslinkable nonlinear optical polymer — PVCN (polyvinylcinnamate)/CNNB-R (3-cinnamoyloxy-4-[4-N,N-diethylamino)-2-cinnamoyloxy phenylazo] nitrobenzene) are reported. Photoconductivity in this polymer system, in both crosslinked and uncrosslinked states, was observed without introducing any sensitizer or carrier-transport agents. Absorption of CNNB-R (λpeak=518 nm) results in photocarrier generation and it is conjectured that CNNB-R also plays a role in the carrier transport. Such polymers are candidate materials for photorefraction.