• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.356-362
• /
• 2002

The molecular orientational dynamics of the nonlinear optical(NLO) side-chain polymer N-(4-nitrophenyl)-(L)-prolinol-poly (pphenylene terephthalates) have been studied using nonlinear optical responses as measured by second harmonic generation (SHG). A new pulsed corona poling is used to orient the NLO chromophores and the polymer segments into the noncentrosymmetric structure required to obtain the SHG signal. By corona poling of negative high voltage pulses with variable repetition rates (between 0.5 and 10 ㎑) at temperature between 25$^{\circ}C$ and 80$^{\circ}C$, well below and about the glass transition temperature 70$^{\circ}C$, the side-chain chromophores and the polymer chain contour rearrange themselves and create the domain structure observed by atomic force microscopy(AFM). The pulsed corona voltage enhances the orientational ordering of the NLO chromophores and also significantly influences the growth of SHG signal and the improved relaxation behavior after the poling field is removed, reducing the visible damage to the polymer film dramatically. This new pulsed corona poling experiment gave direct in situ evidence that the NLO chromophore and the polymer backbone undergo anisotropic rearrangement during the poling process.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.181-187
• /
• 1999

We prepared the side-chain type nonlinear optical NPP(N-(6-nitrophenyl)-(L)-prolinol) polymer films by spin coating method. Ellipsometric spectra were in situ collected by using spectroscopic phase modulated ellipsometer while the NPP polymer films were being corona poled at the temperature above glass transition. We calculated film thickness and the refractive index dispersion by modeling the spectro-ellipsometry data in transparent region. We also calculated the refractive index and the extinction coefficient of the polymer films by numerically inverting the spectro-ellipsometry data in absorbing region, while the previously determined film thickness was used. The independently determined extinction coefficient spectra from the analysis of transmission spectra were compared with those by spectro-ellipsometry and they showed an excellent agreement with each other. From the analysis of the complex refractive index change of the NPP polymer thin films induced by the corona poling, we could determine the vertical complex refractive index and the horizontal complex refractive index separately. Using the volume fraction of the vertical component f⊥, the degree of poling of poled NPP polymer films was quantitatively addressed. It is suggested that the present method can be used to quantitatively address the degree of poling in an absolute manner and to depth profile the poled fraction of thick polymer films. It will be useful to understand the structural change of polymer films and hence the poling mechanism during the poling process.