CR-39 (POLY(DIETHYLENE GLYCOL BIS(ALLYL CARBONATE))) UNDER GAMMA-RAYSAND PROTON-BEAMS

The polymer poly(diethylene glycol bis(allyl carbonate)) (CR-39) subje cted to gamma-rays or ion beams (H, He, Li...) undergoes structural, p hysical and chemical modifications. The optical modifications of CR-39 irradiated by gamma-rays or proton beams, and also the results of an EPR study of CR-39 under gamma-rays are presented here. The latter sho wed that the increase of the refractive index observed in the irradiat ed polymer cannot be directly attributed to the presence of the free r adicals in the material. The optical waveguides obtained by irradiatio n with proton beams present minimal losses of 2 dB/cm. They are expose d to thermal treatments in order to check their behaviour at temperatu res around the glass transition temperature (T-g) of the unirradiated CR-39 polymer. This study showed that, on the range T-g-10 degrees C, T-g+10 degrees C, the obtained attenuation after the annealing treatme nt remains equal to its original value. Moreover, it pointed out the t hermal stability of the refractive index. The first characterization r esults about microguides which were achieved using metallic masks and proton beams are also presented.