Abstract

We describe electrooptic (EO) polymer films that also exhibit photoconductivity. An acrylic polymer containing a stilbene chromophore with a high second-order nonlinear susceptibility was doped with a perylene sensitizer for photocharge generation and a triarylamine hole transporting molecule. A polymer film was fabricated that had an EO coefficient of 2.5 pm/V. Absorption of light by the sensitizer results in a photocurrent and charge trapping. The efficiency of photocharge generation at 515 nm with 120 V applied across a 1.27-µm film was 1.4 × 10^-3 mobile charges per absorbed photon. The photorefractive sensitivity was 3.7 × 10^-6 cm³/J. We also describe a multi-layer structure with the following layers: an indium tin oxide electrode, an electrooptic polymer film, a mixed perylene-triarylamine film, a pure triarylamine film, and a gold electrode. The two films that contain the triarylamine hole transporting molecule act as a photodiode.

© 1991 Optical Society of America