Organic Polymers for Photorefractive Applications

We review the physics of highly efficient low glass transition temperature photorefractive polymers. Different design approaches to photorefractivity in organic polymers are discussed. Frequency-dependent ellipsometry and dielectric experiments are presented in poly(N-vinylcarbazole)-based materials. Orientational enhancement effects that lead to high efficiencies are clearly identified. Observation of non-Bragg diffraction orders is reported and their properties including phase-conjugation and phase-doubling are demonstrated.