FABRICATION OF DYE-DISPERSED OPTICAL-QUALITY POLYMER-FILMS BY COPRECIPITATION OF CYANINE DYE WITH POLYMERS

3,3'-Diethyloxadicarbocyanine iodide (DODCI)-dissolved polymer powders were formed by coprecipitation of DODCI with polymers [poly(methyl me thacrylate) (PMMA), poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) (PHPMA), etc.]. An acetone solution of DODCI in which a purified polymer was also dis solved was injected into a large amount of n-hexane. The precipitated powder in n-hexane was filtered and then dried under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), and formed into a thin film by a hot-press method [Hiraga et al .: Chem. Lett. (1990) 2255]. Another method for preparing a powder by coprecipitation has successfully been developed using a vacuum process . The acetone solution of DODCI and polymer was directly injected into UHV from the liquid phase through a modified needle valve. Deposits w ere formed on a heat-controlled substrate through quick evaporation of a carrier solvent and they were hot-pressed to produce a thin transpa rent film. Condensed states of DODCI associates in these films have be en analyzed by optical absorption and emission, small-angle X-ray scat tering (SAXS), and NMR spectroscopy. A new technique to control the ar rangement of dye associates in three-dimensional space has been propos ed.