Several polymer films for improved optical properties in optoelectronic devices are presented. In such optical applications, it is sometimes important to have a film with an adjusted refractive index, scattering properties, and a low surface roughness. These diffusing films can be used to increase the efficiency of optoelectronic components, such as organic light-emitting diodes. Three different epoxy acrylate mixtures containing Syntholux 291 EA, bisphenol A glycerolate dimethacrylate, and Sartomer SR 348 L are characterized and optimized with different additives. The adjustable refractive index of the material is achieved by chemical doping using 9-vinylcarbazole. Titanium nanoparticles in the mixtures generate light scattering and increase the refractive index additionally. A high-power stirrer is used to mix and disperse all chemical substances together to a homogenous mixture. The viscosity behavior of the mixtures is an important property for the selection of the production method and, therefore, the viscosity measurement results are presented. After the mixing, the monomer mixture is applied on glass substrates by screen printing. To initiate polymerization, the produced films are irradiated for 10 min with ultraviolet radiation and heat. Transmission measurements of the polymer matrix and roughness measurements complement the characterization.
In this work, we develop a wet-processable scattering layer exhibiting a high refractive index that can be used in organic light-emitting diodes for light outcoupling purposes. The composite layers contain an acrylate casting resin, benzylmethacrylate, and phenanthrene, which is employed to increase the refractive index. The mixtures are first rheologically characterized and then polymerized with heat and UV radiation. For the refractive index measurements, the polymerized samples require a planar surface without air bubbles. To produce flat samples, a special construction consisting of a glass plate, a teflon sheet, a silicone ring (PDMS mold), another teflon sheet, and another glass plate is developed. Glue clamps are used to hold the construction together. The refractive index of the samples can be increased from 1.565 to 1.585 at 20°C at a wavelength of 589 nm following the addition of 20 wt% phenanthrene. A master mixture with a high refractive index is taken for further experiments. Nanoscaled titanium dioxide is added and dispersed into the master mixture and then spin coated on a glass substrate. These layers are optically characterized. Most of the presented layers present the expected haze of over 50%.
Integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) based on flexible polymer materials have been demonstrated as evanescent field sensors for the detection of refractive indices and molecule concentrations. The used application of a measurement window in classical MZIs is difficult in a roll-to-roll fabrication process. We have previously demonstrated foil-based asymmetric MZIs with different widths in sensing and reference arm which do not need a measurement window. Here we present the use of a multimode interference structure (MMI) inserted into the sensing arm of the interferometer to increase the sensitivity. We consider the expected interference signal from numerical simulations and optimize the system in terms of sensitivity, dimensions and absorption losses. The fabricated MMI-MZI foils are tested experimentally to demonstrate the function of the MMI-MZI system by applying water/glucose solutions with different refractive indices.
Polymer-based optical sensor networks on foils (planar optronic systems) are a promising research field, but it can be challenging to supply them with light. We present a solvent-free, ink-jet printable material system with optically active substances to create planar light sources for these networks. The ink is based on a UV-curable monomer, the fluorescent agents are Eu(DBM)3Phen or 9,10-diphenylantracene, which fluoresce at 612 or 430 nm, respectively. We demonstrate the application as light source by printing a small area of fluorescent material on an optical waveguide fabricated by flexographic printing on PMMA foil, resulting in a simple polymer-optical device fabricated entirely by additive deposition techniques. When excited by a 405-nm laser of 10 mW, the emitted light couples into the waveguide and appears at the end of the waveguide. In comparison to conventional light sources, the intensity is weak but could be detected with a photodiode power sensor. In return, the concept has the advantage of being completely independent of any electrical elements or external cable connections.
This work presents different polymer diffusing films for optical components. In optical applications it is sometimes important to have a film with an adjusted refractive index, scattering properties and a low surface roughness. These diffusing films can be used to increase the efficiency of optical components like organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this study three different epoxy acrylate mixtures containing Syntholux 291 EA, bisphenol a glycerolate dimethacrylate, Sartomer SR 348 L are characterized and optimized with different additives. The adjustable refractive index of the material is achieved with a chemical doping by 9-vinylcarbazole. Titanium nanoparticles in the mixtures generate light scattering and increase the refractive index additionally. To prevent sedimentation and agglomeration of these nanoparticles, a stabilization agent [2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]acetic acid is added to the mixture. Other ingredients are a UV-starter and thermal starter for the radical polymerization. A high power stirrer (ultraturrax) is used to mix and disperse all chemical substances together to a homogenous mixture. The viscosity behavior of the mixtures is an important property for the selection of the production method and gets characterized.
After the mixing, the monomer mixture is applied on glass substrates by blade coating or screen printing.
To initiate the chain growing (polymerization) the produced films are irradiated for 10 minutes long with UV light (UV LED Spot Hönle, 405 nm). After this step a final post bake from the layers in the oven (150°C, 30 min.) is operated.
Light transmission measurements (UV-Vis) of the polymer matrix and roughness measurements complement the characterization.
We present two ink-jet printable, optically active material systems that point towards flexible foil-based optical systems independent of any electrical elements or physical connections. The materials are based on a UV-curable monomer doped with europium and diphenylantracene, resulting in red (610 nm) and blue (430 nm) fluorescence excited by UV light. Additionally, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) is used to tune the viscosity to 10 mPas via a print-head temperature of 50 °C, as required by the ink-jet print-head. When illuminated with 1.5 W/cm2, the measured intensity of the europium is in the range of 1 mW/cm2. By printing these materials on PMMA foil, we can create fluorescent tracks with a feature size well below 100 μm that could serve as light sources within a planar optronic system.
The aim is to develop a polymer layer which has the ability to diffuse light homogeneously and exhibit a high refractive index. The mixtures are containing an acrylate casting resin, benzylmethacrylate, phenanthrene and other additives. Phenanthrene is employed to increase the refractive index. The mixtures are first rheologically characterized and then polymerized with heat and UV radiation. For the refractive index measurements the polymerized samples require a planar surface without air bubbles. To produce flat samples a special construction consisting of a glass plate, a teflon sheet, a silicone ring (PDMS mold), another teflon sheet and another glass plate is developed. Glue clamps are used to fix this construction together. Selected samples have a refractive index of 1.585 at 20°C at a wavelength of 589nm. A master mixture with a high refractive index is taken for further experiments. Nano scaled titanium dioxide is added and dispersed into the master mixture and then spin coated on a glass substrate. These layers are optically characterized. The specular transmission and the overall transmission are measured to investigate the degree of scattering, which is defined as the haze. Most of the presented layers express the expected haze of over 50%.
Two new design concepts for all-polymer-based integrated optical Mach-Zehnder interferometers in foil as chemical or bio-chemical sensors are presented. Fabricated with hot-embossing and printing techniques, these all polymer optical components are designed for low-cost fabrication and yield highly sensitive response to external refractive index changes. Compared to traditional semiconductor based systems, these polymer sensors do not need the interaction window and do not require a cleanroom for fabrication. The optical response of the asymmetric interferometers to temperature variations is determined theoretically and compared for two designs. Using the designed asymmetric interferometer, a chemical micro-fluidic test system with temperature controller experimentally demonstrates the sensors’ temperature characteristics.
In contrast to established semiconductor waveguide-based or glass fiber-based integrated optical sensors, polymerbased optical systems offer tunable material properties, such as refractive index or viscosity, and thus provide additional degrees of freedom for sensor design and fabrication. Of particular interest in sensing applications are fully-integrated optical waveguide-based temperature sensors. These typically rely on Bragg gratings which induce a periodic refractive index variation in the waveguide so that a resonant wavelength of the structure is reflected.1,2 With broad-band excitation, a dip in the spectral output of the waveguide is thus generated at a precisely-defined wavelength. This resonant wavelength depends on the refractive index of the waveguide and the grating period, yet both of these quantities are temperature dependent by means of the thermo-optic effect (change in refractive index with temperature) and thermal expansion (change of the grating period with temperature). We show the design and fabrication of polymer waveguide-integrated temperature sensors based on Bragggratings, fabricated by replication technology on flexible PMMA foil substrates. The 175 μm thick foil serves as lower cladding for a polymeric waveguide fabricated from a custom-made UV-crosslinkable co-monomer composition. The fabrication of the grating structure includes a second replication step into a separate PMMA-foil. The dimensions of the Bragg-gratings are determined by simulations to set the bias point into the near infrared wavelength range, which allows Si-based detectors to be used. We present design considerations and performance data for the developed structures. The resulting sensor's signal is linear to temperature changes and shows a sensitivity of -306 nm/K, allowing high resolution temperature measurements.
We report on the fabrication of all-polymer inverted rib waveguides by hot-embossing and inkjet printing. Inkjet printing as an additive fabrication technique is well suited for a fast, selective and automated patterning of large areas. In general, the lines that can be printed with polymer inks can serve as waveguides themselves but the dimensions are too big to form single-mode waveguides. To overcome this limitation we apply hot-embossed grooves as assist structures to ensure the lateral confinement of the guided wave. We show the waveguide design, spin-coated single-mode waveguides as an intermediate result and finally inkjet printed all-polymer waveguides and their optical performance.
We report an easy way to tune the optical refractive index and viscosity of an epoxy acrylate-based host-guest system which can be used for the fabrication of optical waveguides. This allows fast and precise modification of the material system for different replication methods like hot embossing, inkjet printing or spin coating. To modify the refractive index n, an electron-rich organic dopant such as phenanthrene is added to a commercially available reactive polymer based resin. Moreover, changes in viscosity can be achieved by using a comonomer with suitable properties like benzyl methacrylate (BMA). We used a commercially available UV-curable epoxy acrylate based polymer matrix to investigate both the influence of phenanthrene and of benzyl methacrylate. First, mixtures of the pure polymer and benzyl methacrylate with a ratio of 30, 50, and 80 wt% benzyl methacrylate were produced. Second, phenanthrene was added with 5 and 10 wt%, respectively. All components were mixed and then polymerized by UV-irradiation and with a thermal postcure. The viscosity of the mixtures decreased at 20°C linearly from 1.5 Pa·s (30 wt%) to 8 mPa·s (80 wt%), whereas the refractive index decreased at the same time by a small amount from 1.570 to 1.568 (@589 nm, 20 °C). By adding phenanthrene refractive index increased to a maximum of n = 1.586 (50 wt% BMA, 10 wt% phenanthrene). Abbe numbers for the compositions without phenanthrene ranged from 35 to 38.
Arrayed waveguide gratings (AWG) originally designed as demultiplexing device and manufactured with well established silicon wafer technology are already used successfully as compact spectrometers with high resolution1. In this paper, the concept of a new design for a wavelength demultiplexing device based on tailor-made polymers is presented. The motivation for a new design is a smaller footprint of the device and the avoidance of bended waveguides and the associated losses. Extensive simulations were performed to optimize the design. Using microscope projection lithography and hot embossing a first polymer based device was realized. Its characterization and the achieved performance in terms of resolution and covered wavelength range will be discussed.
In this paper, the concept of a micro ring resonator formed of waveguides in off-the-shelf polymers is presented. Extensive simulations were performed to determine appropriate dimensions for the waveguide and the design of ring and coupling zone as well as for the estimation of losses. Based on the calculated parameters, a first polymer ring resonator was realized using microscope projection lithography.
Polymers with individually adjusted optical and rheological properties are gaining more and more importance in industrial applications, like in information technology. To modify the refractive index n, an electron-rich organic dopant is added to a commercially available polymer-based resin. Changes in viscosity for applications like inkjet printing can be achieved by using a comonomer with suitable properties. Therefore, we used a commercially available epoxy acrylate based UV-curable polymer matrix to investigate the influence of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate on viscosity and phenanthrene on refractive index. Refractive index was measured at a wavelength of 589 nm and 20°C using an Abbe refractometer. As a result, the change in viscosity decreased linearly from 47 Pa·s to 4 mPa·s, which is a more suitable region for inkjet printing. However, the refractive index decreased, at the same time, from 1.548 to 1.514. On adding phenanthrene, the refractive index increased linearly from 1.548 up to 1.561. It was shown that both viscosity and refractive index can be successfully adjusted in a wide range depending on desired properties.
Polymers with individually adjusted optical and rheological properties are gaining more and more importance in industrial applications like in information technology. To modify the refractive index n, an electron-rich organic dopant is added to a commercially available polymer based resin. Changes in viscosity for applications like ink-jet printing can be achieved by using a comonomer with suitable properties. Therefore we used a commercially available epoxy acrylate based UV-curable polymer matrix to investigate the influence of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) on viscosity and phenanthrene on refractive index. Refractive index was measured at a wavelength of 589 nm and 20 °C using an Abbe refractometer. As a result the change in viscosity decreased linearly from 47 Pa·s to 4 mPa·s which is a more suitable region for inkjet printing. However, the refractive index decreased at the same time from 1.548 to 1.514. Adding phenanthrene the refractive index increased linearly from 1.548 up to 1.561. It was shown that both, viscosity and refractive index can be successfully adjusted in a wide range depending on desired properties.
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