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Coupling nonlinear optical waves to photoreactive and phase-separating soft matter: Current status and perspectives
Saeid Biria1, Derek R Morim2, Fu An Tsao2
1Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA.
Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)
|November 3, 2017
Summary
Nonlinear optics in polymers enables light-directed pattern formation. This research explores light-stimulated soft materials and new nonlinear optical phenomena in advanced polymer systems.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Optics
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Nonlinear optics and polymer systems are established fields.
- Their intersection lies in nonlinear wave propagation within photoreactive polymers.
- This leads to phenomena like optical self-trapping and modulation instability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review nonlinear optical pattern formation in polymers.
- To discuss recent progress in coupling optical patterns with polymer blends and phase separation.
- To provide perspectives on future research directions.
Main Methods:
- Overview of nonlinear optical phenomena.
- Review of nonlinear waveform propagation in photopolymerizable systems.
- Discussion of coupling nonlinear optical patterns to polymer blends and phase separation.
Main Results:
- Irreversible polymerization permanently captures nonlinear optical patterns.
- This offers a synthetic route to complex structured soft materials.
- Coupling nonlinear optical and chemical dynamics enables self-organization.
Conclusions:
- Exploiting nonlinear optical pattern formation in soft matter can lead to new light-directed materials.
- Soft matter provides a platform for discovering novel nonlinear optical phenomena.
- This interdisciplinary approach opens avenues for advanced materials discovery.
