Holographic Photopolymers

Diffusive photopolymers were first developed by Bruce Booth atÌýfor holography. We use a two-polymer approach introduced by Lisa Dhar and colleagues atÌý. These materials contain two monomers, in which the first monomer is thermally or optically gelled, providing a physical scaffold to support encapsulated elements or photo-patterned index structures. Linear (one photon) absorption of incident light polymerizes the second monomer, locally depleting it in the exposed region. This causes diffusional mass transport of unreacted monomer into the exposed region, resulting in an increased material density and index of refraction. A post-exposure optical flood cure bleaches remaining initiator and cross-links all remaining monomer, yielding stable, permanent index structures. The final state of the polymer can be compliant to accommodate thermal expansion or glassy for greater robustness. Deep, 3D index patterns are possible because no wet processing is required - the index structures self-develop after optical exposure.Ìý

The team

  • Andrew Sias
  • Amy Sullivan

Andrew Sias at the holography table

Learn more

  • M. D. Alim, D. J. Glugla, S. Mavila, C. Wang, P. D. Nystrom, A. C. Sullivan, R. R. McLeod, C. N. Bowman, “,â€�ÌýACS Applied Materials & InterfacesÌý10, pp. 1217-1224,Ìý2018
  • D. J. Glugla, M. B. Chosy, M. D. Alim, K. K. Childress, A. C. Sullivan, R. R. McLeod, “,â€�ÌýOptics Letters 43, pp. 1866-1869, 2018
  • H. Peng, C. Wang, W. Xi, B. A Kowalski, T. Gong, X. Xie, W. Wang, D. P. Nair, R. R. McLeod, C. N. Bowman,ÌýÌýChemistry of Materials 26, pp. 6819–6826, 2014.
  • Benjamin A. Kowalski, Adam C. Urness, Martha-Elizabeth Baylor, Michael C. Cole, William L. Wilson, Robert R. McLeod,Ìý,â€� Optics Materials Express 4, pp. 1668-1682, 2014.
  • Ben Kowalski, Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering,Ìý, University of Colorado, 2014.

This work has been generously funded by

ÌýÌýÌý

National Science Foundation Logo
Ìý ÌýÌý
Konica Minolta
Ìý ÌýÌý
ARL Logo
Ìý Ìý

Sample results

holograms

Transmission holograms of various periods recorded in a thin layer of holographic photopolymer held between glass slides.

Color filters

Holographic color filters recorde in a two-stage polymer network.

Bragg holography result

Single hologram index contrast of a synthesized high-refractive indexÌýand high solubility monomer BPTPA. Ìý