Photoinduced Birefringence in Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Polymeric Thin Films Doped with Di-Azo Sudan G

Photoinduced birefringence in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polymeric thin films doped with di-azo Sudan G was investigated. A pump-probe method was used to study the dynamic behavior of the birefringence. The mechanism for the inducement of birefringence is discussed in terms of the photoisomerization of the di-azo Sudan G molecules. The results showed that the dynamic evolution of the photoinduced birefringence was such that the average birefringence increased, saturated, and then decreased with respect to the laser pump intensity. Also, an exponential-like relationship was observed between both the saturation and the isotropic states of the averaged transmitted probe beam (expressing the residual anisotropy) and the birefringence on one hand, and the intensity amplitudes of the pumping powers on the other hand.