Photoinduced dichroism in dye-doped hybrid sol–gel films

• Published in: Optical materials Vol. 28; no. 8-9; pp. 909 - 912
• Main Authors: Raschellà, R., Marino, I.-G., Lottici, P.P., Bersani, D., Lorenzi, A., Montenero, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Birefringence; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Hologram recording and read-out methods; Holographic recording materials; Holographic recording materials; optical storage media; Holography; Optical materials; Optics; Physics; Sol–gel; Wave optics; 160.2900; Holographic recording materials; Birefringence; 260.1440; 160.6060; Sol–gel; Nitrogen heterocycle; Carbazole derivatives; Holography; 160.2900; 160.6060; 260.1440; Azo dyes; Silica; Quantity ratio; Holographic recording; Dispersed dye; Holographic recording materials; Sol-gel; Birefringence; Dichroism; Recording material; Optical materials; Sol-gel process; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2005.07.012

Photoinduced dichroism measurements have been performed in hybrid silica-based sol–gel films containing Carbazole units, 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenone (TNF) and Disperse Red 1 (DR1) at different concentrations. The dynamics of the parallel and perpendicular absorbances gives information on the azo-dye orientation under illumination and suggests that the dominant mechanism for the photoinduced anisotropy is the angular redistribution of the DR1 trans-molecules. Recording, storage and erasure, have been demonstrated for writing and reading light at 488nm.