EFFECT OF SOLVENT VAPOR ON OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF PR(4)VOPC IN POLYMETHYLMETHACRYLATE

Dye-in-polymer (DIP) films consisting of soluble Pr(4)VOPc (vanadyl ph thalocyanine having four propyl substituents) dye and polymethylmethac rylate (PMMA) were prepared by spin-coating process. Pr(4)VOPc precipi tates as a glassy phase in pure PMMA matrix during the film formation. Upon exposure of these DIP films to organic solvent vapor, stable cry stalline Pr(4)VOPc, which has stronger absorption in the near-IR regio n and larger nonlinear refractive index n(2) than the glassy phase, fo rms. The organic solvent vapor promotes the solubilization and crystal lization of the dye, plastication of the polymer chains, and migration of the dye. The nonlinear refractive index n(2) and optical spectra o f the DIP films were measured, and the change rule has been discussed in terms of electron transition and molecular packing of Pr(4)VOPc. (C ) 1995 American Institute of Physics.