ISSN:
0021-8995
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
Notes:
Infrared spectroscopy has been used to provide an independent estimate of dipole orientation in poled films of a side-chain polymer based on poly(methyl methacrylate) with an oxynitrostilbene side group attached via an aliphatic spacer. In particular, we used the dichroism of the absorption band assigned to the NO2 symmetric stretching vibration as a measure of the orientation of the nitrostilbene group. This yields 〈P2(cos θ)〉, where θ is the angle between the transition dipole moment and the symmetry axis of the sample. We then used a Langevin-type model to calculate 〈cos θ〉 from 〈P2(cos θ)〉 and concluded that values of 〈cos θ〉 as high as 0.5 are being achieved. We find, however, that 〈P2(cos θ)〉 obtained by comparison of normal incidence measurements on unpoled and poled films does not agree with 〈P2(cos θ)〉 obtained from tilted-film measurements on poled films. We propose that this discrepancy arises because the local field in a poled sample affects the polarizability of the molecules. To confirm this, we applied high fields to unpoled films in the infrared spectrometer at room temperature. The results clearly show a large reduction in absorbance with the applied field when the infrared electric field vector has a component perpendicular to the plane of the film. A major error therefore occurs as a consequence of the internal field in poled samples if 〈P2(cos θ)〉 is derived from the tilted film measurements, whereas 〈P2(cos θ)〉 derived from normal incidence measurements is essentially correct. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Additional Material:
6 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/app.1994.070530514
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