2-PHOTON-INDUCED PHOTOCHROMIC REACTIONS IN SPIROBENZOPYRAN-DOPED POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) THIN-FILM WAVE-GUIDES

We present experimental results of photochromic reactions induced by s ingle- and two-photon excitations in a poly(methyl methacrylate) thin film doped with spirobenzopyran. We also demonstrate the operation of a spirobenzopyran-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) planar waveguide, pr epared by cast spinning the media onto fused-quartz slides. The follow ing phenomena were shown to take place in this waveguide: single-two-p hoton coloring, fluorescing, and bleaching. The results indicate that such devices may be suitable for many applications, including optical waveguides, volume optical storage, and optical sensors. (C) 1996 Opti cal Society of America