Photoreversible optical nonlinearities of polymeric films containing spiropyran with long alkyl chains

Abstract

It was demonstrated that the third-order optical nonlinearity of polymer films could be reversibly controlled by the photochromic conversion and following J-aggregate formation of spiropyran embedded in an inert polymer matrix. Patterns consisting of areas with high and low third-order nonlinear optical activities were prepared by imagewise exposure of the photochromic films followed by thermal treatment to form thermally stable J aggregates of photoinduced merocyanine in the exposed area. This system could be useful in developing new unconventional optical devices based on optical nonlinearities, including new types of spatial light modulators.