Nonlinear refraction and photoinduced birefringence in chlorophosphonazo I doped polymer thin films

The nonlinear refraction and photoinduced birefringence of chlorophosphonazo I (CPA I) doped PVA thin films were investigated. The single-beam Z-scan measurement showed that CPA I doped PVA thin film possessed a large value of nonlinear refractive index (n(2) = 1.82 x 10(-12) cm(2)/W) under a pulse 532 nm excitation, and the mechanism accounting for the process of nonlinear refraction was discussed in term of resonant electronic effect. Moreover, fast and stable molecular reorientation was observed when investigating the photoinduced birefringence of CPA I doped PVA thin film with a CW 532 nm laser as pump light and a CW 650 nm laser as probe light. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.