Improvement of holographic performance by novel photopolymer systems with siloxane-containing epoxides

Diffraction efficiency and morphology of holographic gratings were improved by combining ring-opening polymerizable epoxides with radical polymerizable conventional acrylate systems. By adding epoxide materials, the grating spacings were increased when compared with the case where only acrylate was used. The effects were especially notable for cyclohexane oxide derivatives. The diffraction efficiency was the highest, and nanoscale phase-separated liquid crystal domains were the most clearly formed using siloxane-containing cyclohexane oxide group, due to their incompatibility and fast curing. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.