Zero-birefringence polymers for optical devices

Akihiro Tagaya; Yasuhiro Koike

doi:10.1117/12.446564

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29 October 2001 Zero-birefringence polymers for optical devices

Akihiro Tagaya, Yasuhiro Koike

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Proceedings Volume 4594, Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Photonic Devices II; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.446564
Event: International Symposium on Photonics and Applications, 2001, Singapore, Singapore

Abstract

Optical polymers which exhibit no birefringence with any orientation of polymer chains are desirable to realize high performance optical devices that handle polarized light. We defined such polymers as 'zero-birefringence polymer' and demonstrated two methods for synthesizing the zero- birefringence polymers: the random copolymerization method and the anisotropic molecule dopant method. Orientational birefringence is compensated by random copolymerization using a positive and a negative birefringence monomers at specified ratio in the random copolymerization method. Poly(methyl methacrylate-co-benzyl methacrylate) synthesized by this method showed no orientational birefringence with any orientation degree. In the anisotropic molecule dopant method, orientational birefringence of polymers is compensated by doping with 3 wt percent of trans-stilbene as the anisotropic molecule. Furthermore, we demonstrated the isotropic particle dopant method to reduce orientational birefringence of polymers. Orientation birefringence for polymethyl methacrylate film was decreased by approximately 20 percent by doping with 2 wt percent of silica particle with an average diameter of 7 nm as the isotropic particle dopant.

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Akihiro Tagaya and Yasuhiro Koike "Zero-birefringence polymers for optical devices", Proc. SPIE 4594, Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Photonic Devices II, (29 October 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.446564

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