Laser formation of Bragg gratings in polymer nanocomposite materials

The method investigated in this work is based on the laser-induced, spatially inhomogeneous polymerisation of nanocomposite materials and allows control over the motion and structuring of nanoparticles. The mechanisms of nanoparticle concentration redistribution in the process of radical photopolymerisation are studied. It is shown that under the condition of spatially inhomogeneous illumination of a nanocomposite material, nanoparticles are diffused from the illuminated areas into the dark fields. Diffraction gratings with a thickness of 8 μm and a refractive index modulation of 1×10^-2 are written in an OCM-2 monomer impregnated by silicon nanoparticles. The gratings may be used in the development of narrowband filters, in holographic information recording and as dispersion elements in integrated optical devices.