Melt-processed polyfluorene nanowires as active waveguides

Poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) polymer nanowires were synthesized by using melt-assisted wetting of porous alumina templates to be used in nanoscale electronic and photonic devices. PFO is a thermally processable polymer that shows thermotropic liquid-crystalline character with melting into a birefringent liquid occurring at 156°C. It also exhibits glassy or semicrystalline phases by rapid quenching or slow cooling for its optical and electronic properties. PFO nanowires were prepared by a melt-assisted template wetting method. A vacuum anneal facilitated melt injection of the polymer into the porous template and controlled cooling solidify the PFO materials. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to select dissolution of the alumina template. Single-nanowire imaging and spectroscopy data were acquired, which show that wires can be used as nanoscale active optical waveguides.