New Method for Determining the Distribution of Birefringence and Linear Dichroism in Polymer Materials Based On Polarization-Holographic Grating

A new method for determining the distribution of
birefringence and linear dichroism in optical polymer materials is
presented. The method is based on the use of polarizationholographic
diffraction grating that forms an orthogonal circular basis
in the process of diffraction of probing laser beam on the grating. The
intensities ratio of the orders of diffraction on this grating enables the
value of birefringence and linear dichroism in the sample to be
determined. The distribution of birefringence in the sample is
determined by scanning with a circularly polarized beam with a
wavelength far from the absorption band of the material. If the
scanning is carried out by probing beam with the wavelength near to
a maximum of the absorption band of the chromophore then the
distribution of linear dichroism can be determined. An appropriate
theoretical model of this method is presented. A laboratory setup was
created for the proposed method. An optical scheme of the laboratory
setup is presented. The results of measurement in polymer films with
two-dimensional gradient distribution of birefringence and linear
dichroism are discussed.

• Barbara Kilosanidze
• George Kakauridze
• Levan Nadareishvili
• Yuri Mshvenieradze

• Birefringence
• graded oriented polymers
• linear dichroism
• optical polymers
• optical anisotropy
• polarization-holographic grating

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