Influence of electric field on the information characteristics of films of polyazobenzene and their metallocomplexes for polarization holography

The films of azobenzene polymers and their metallocomplexes can be employed as electrooptical modulators and in recording media for polarization holography (HRM). This work is devoted to investigation of the possibilities of influence of external electric field on the properties of polarization sensitive holographic recording media. HRM based on the films of new azobenzene polymers poly-AZO-S and poly-Co-(AZO-S)₂ were synthesized. The HRM samples were prepared as polymeric films deposited from solutions onto the glass substrates with transparent conducting layer SnO₂ : In₂O₃. This layer was employed as the electrode for formation of the electric field in the films by crown discharge. Decrease of the diffraction efficiency of the recorded in investigated HRM holograms was registered after application of electric field. The holograms of flat wave front were registered using semiconductor laser with λ=532 nm. HRM with poly-AZO-S is characterized by lower noise level as compare to poly-Co-(AZO-S)₂ due to its higher homogeneity. Nevertheless, presence of Co ions can essentially improve the HRM information characteristics. The phenomenological model describing the mechanism of the field E effect on the diffraction efficiency of polarization holograms is proposed. (author)