Holographic recording characteristics and physical mechanism of zinc methacrylate/nitroaniline‐co‐doped poly(methyl methacrylate)/9,10‐phenanthrenequinone photopolymers

Abstract

In this study we developed an approach to improve the characteristics of photopolymers for holographic data storage. Through codoping different compounds, N,N‐dimethyl‐4‐nitroaniline (DMNA) and zinc methylacrylate (Zn(MA)2), into 9,10‐phenanthrenequinone (PQ) doped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), the diffraction efficiency and the value of dynamic range (M#) have been progressed. We enhanced the diffraction efficiency (from 36.1 to 86.2%) and the dynamic range (M#, from 2.9 to 10.7) of PQ‐doped PMMA through codoping with DMNA and Zn(MA)2. Using mass spectrometry and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we investigated the mechanism behind the improvements in optical storage induced by the presence of Zn(MA)2 and DMNA in PMMA/PQ. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers