Photorefractive effect in a CdS nanoparticles-sensitized polymer composite

The photorefractive (PR) performance of an organic/inorganic hybrid polymer composite sensitized by CdS nanoparticles, combining poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK), the second-order optically nonlinear chromophore 1-n-butoxy-2-methyl-(4-p-nitropheylazo)benzene (BMNPAB) and 9-ethylcarbazole (ECZ) was studied. It was confirmed that the CdS colloidal particles had a nanoscale size and quantum confinement effect adopting transmission electron microscopy and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The addition of CdS nanoparticles as a photosensitizer in PVK will be significant enhancement of photoconductivity because of the high photocharge generation quantum efficiency and high charge transport to conducting polymer. The polymer composite film exhibited PR effect with a method of two-beam coupling experiment. And an asymmetric two-beam coupling gain of 45.8 cm−1 without applied electric filed is obtained at 632.8 nm wavelength.