Two-photon-induced birefringence in azo-dye bearing polyimide; the birefringence changes versus the writing power

Ultra-short high-intensity light pulses were utilized to induce the optical birefringence in a polyimide material possessing the azo-dye covalently bonded to the main chain. The obtained results showed that a two-photon absorption process was involved in a creation of the sample birefringence which, to the best of our knowledge, was not previously reported for polyimide materials. The growths and decays of birefringence were examined as functions of the pulse intensities. No damage to the material during the illumination process was detected in a wide range of optical powers applied. High birefringence level of the order of 0.005 was measured

Azopoliimidy – elementy strukturalne a efektywność fotoorientacji azochromoforów

This work is a summary of our previous investigations of polyimides containing derivatives of azobenzene or azopyridine. Here we discussed the relationship between the microstructure of azopolyimides and azochromophore photo-orientation efficiency determined in measurements of photoinduced birefringence as well as the relationship between the microstructure ofazopolyimides and their selected physical properties. The designed architecture of azopolymers allowed to trace the effect of such structural elements as the structure of the polymer main chain and chromophore, its content, location including the method of dye assembling with the polymer matrix on thermal, optical and photoinduced properties. We also discussed the possibility of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds formation in functionalized azopolyimides, which hinder isomerization of the azobenzene molecules results the photoinduced birefringence is not observed in the material. Additionally, the possibility of potential applications of azopolyimides as layers for the liquid crystal alignment was presented.Artykuł stanowi podsumowanie naszych badań dotyczących azopoliimidów zawierających pochodne azobenzenu lub azopirydyny. Przedstawiono zależność między budową azopolimerów a efektywnością fotoorientacji azochromoforów, określaną na podstawie mierzonej fotoindukowanej dwójłomności, z uwzględnieniem wpływu struktury na wybrane właściwości fizyczne. Przedmiotem rozważań były azopolimery o odpowiednio zaprojektowanej budowie chemicznej pozwalającej na określenie wpływu struktury łańcucha głównego polimeru, a także chromoforu, jego zawartości i sposobu przyłączenia oraz lokalizacji w merze polimeru na właściwości termiczne, optyczne i fotoindukowane światłem spolaryzowanym. Omówiono także możliwość tworzenia w polimerach funkcjonalizowanych międzycząsteczkowych wiązań wodorowych, które hamują izomeryzację grup azobenzenowych, w wyniku czego nie obserwuje się generowania fotoindukowanej dwójłomności w materiale. Przedstawiono ponadto badania aplikacyjne, które wykazały możliwość porządkowania mieszaniny ciekłokrystalicznej za pomocą warstw otrzymanych z wybranych azopoliimidów

A Combined Total Scattering and Simulation Approach to Analyzing Defect Structure in Bi3YO6

The defect structure and electrical properties of the fast oxide ion-conducting solid electrolyte delta-Bi3YO6 have been studied using a combination of total neutron scattering analysis, energy minimization methods, and AC impedance spectroscopy. Conventional structural analysis using the Rietveld method reveals the oxide ions to be distributed over three crystallographic sites at room temperature, with a small change in this distribution at 800 degrees C. Analysis of short-range correlations using a total neutron scattering approach yields information on Bi and Y coordination environments. Careful analysis of the angular distribution functions derived from reverse Monte Carlo modeling of the total scattering data reveals physical evidence for a predominance of vacancy ordering in this system. This ordering is confirmed as the lowest energy configuration in parallel energy minimization simulations

A Combined Total Scattering and Simulation Approach to Analyzing Defect Structure in Bi3YO6

The defect structure and electrical properties of the fast oxide ion-conducting solid electrolyte delta-Bi3YO6 have been studied using a combination of total neutron scattering analysis, energy minimization methods, and AC impedance spectroscopy. Conventional structural analysis using the Rietveld method reveals the oxide ions to be distributed over three crystallographic sites at room temperature, with a small change in this distribution at 800 degrees C. Analysis of short-range correlations using a total neutron scattering approach yields information on Bi and Y coordination environments. Careful analysis of the angular distribution functions derived from reverse Monte Carlo modeling of the total scattering data reveals physical evidence for a predominance of < 110 > vacancy ordering in this system. This ordering is confirmed as the lowest energy configuration in parallel energy minimization simulations