A novel approach to specify symmetries and main optical axes in anisotropic polymeric films is proposed. This method is based on the analysis of the optical absorption via the pulsed laser photoacoustic (PLPA)-technique in a common polarizer film, while rotating the polarizer axis at normal incidence. Since the PLPA-signals are directly proportional to the optical absorption, it is shown that a symmetric and complementary Malus’s law can be obtained over full root mean square (RMS)- and correlation (CA)-analysis of the PLPA-signals. Such data processing reveals the main material directions of the constituting film molecules defining the symmetry structure of the sample. PLPA-results were compared to the pure optical transmission experiments and show unambiguous information, allowing this technique to be used in nonstandard and opaque polymeric films, where the analysis of the optical measurements represents a difficult task, and in general, in anisotropic media.

© 2008 Optical Society of America

1. S. K. Dalquist, "Process modifications for improved optical characteristics of K-type polarizer," Thesis (M. Eng.) MIT. Dept. of Mat. Sci. and Eng. (2003), http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/7978R.
2. C.- Guzmán, S. J. Pérez-Ruiz, M. Villagrán-Muniz, and J. M. Saniger-Blesa, "Thermal stability and phase transition by photoacoustic signal analysis," Anal. Sci. 17, 122 - 125 (2001).
3. O. E. Martiìnez, Y. Cesa, N. Mingolo, and R. Romero, "Photoacoustic detection of phase transitions with a resonant piezoelectric scheme with extreme sensitivity to small volume changes," App. Phys. B 80, 365 - 371, (2005). [CrossRef]
4. A. Hordvik and H. Schollosberg, "Photoacoustic technique for determining optical absorption coefficients in solids," Appl. Opt. 16, 101 - 107 (1977). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. J. T. Dodgson, A. Mandelis, and C. Andreetta, "Optical absorption coefficient measurements in solids and liquids using correlation photoacoustic spectroscopy," Can. Jou. Phy. 64, 1074 - 1080 (1985). [CrossRef]
6. Y. Jiang, S. Zhang, H. Shao, and C. Yuan, "Optical properties of Langmuir-Blodgett films investigated by a photoacoustic technique," Appl. Opt. 34, 169 - 173 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. R. Srinivasan, M. Jayachandran, and K. Ramachandran, "Photoacoustic studies on optical and thermal properties of p-type and n-type nanostructured porous silicon for (100) and (111) orientations," Cryst. Res. Technol. 42, 266 - 274 (2007). [CrossRef]
8. K. S. Katti and M. W. Urban, "Conductivity model and photoacoustic FT-IR surface depth profiling of heterogeneous polymers," Polymer 44, 3319 - 3325 (2003). [CrossRef]
9. A. C. Bento, D. T. Dias, L. Olenka, A. N. Medina, and M. L. Baes, "On the Application of the Photoacoustic Methods for the Determination of Thermo-Optical Properties of Polymers," Braz. Jou. Phy. 32, 483 - 494 (2002). [CrossRef]
10. N. G. C. Astrath, A. C. Bento, M. L. Baesso, A.F. Da Silva, R. Ahuja, C. Persson, S. Zhao, and C. G. Granqvist, "Thermal lens and photoacoustic spectroscopy to determine the thermo-optical properties of semiconductors," J. Physique. IV 125, 18 -183 (2005). [CrossRef]
11. E. H. Land, "Some Aspects of the development of sheet polarizers," J. Opt. Soc. Am. 41, 957 - 963 (1951). [CrossRef]
12. T. Miyazaki, S. Katayama, E. Funai, Y. Tsuji, amd S. Sakurai, "Role of adsorbed iodine into poly(vinyl alcohol) films drawn in KI/I2 solution," Polymer 467436 - 7442 (2005). [CrossRef]
13. T. Miyazaki, A. Hoshiko, M. Akasaka, T. Shintani, and S. Sakurai, "SAXS studies on structural changes in a poly(vinyl alcohol) film during uniaxial stretching in water," Macromolecules 39, 2921 - 2929 (2006). [CrossRef]
14. M. Bennett and H. E. Bennett, "Polarization," in Handbook of Optics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1978), pp. 10.13-10.14

Anal. Sci.

• C.- Guzmán, S. J. Pérez-Ruiz, M. Villagrán-Muniz, and J. M. Saniger-Blesa, "Thermal stability and phase transition by photoacoustic signal analysis," Anal. Sci. 17, 122 - 125 (2001).

App. Phys. B

• O. E. Martiìnez, Y. Cesa, N. Mingolo, and R. Romero, "Photoacoustic detection of phase transitions with a resonant piezoelectric scheme with extreme sensitivity to small volume changes," App. Phys. B 80, 365 - 371, (2005). [CrossRef]

Appl. Opt.

• A. Hordvik and H. Schollosberg, "Photoacoustic technique for determining optical absorption coefficients in solids," Appl. Opt. 16, 101 - 107 (1977). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Y. Jiang, S. Zhang, H. Shao, and C. Yuan, "Optical properties of Langmuir-Blodgett films investigated by a photoacoustic technique," Appl. Opt. 34, 169 - 173 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Braz. Jou. Phy.

• A. C. Bento, D. T. Dias, L. Olenka, A. N. Medina, and M. L. Baes, "On the Application of the Photoacoustic Methods for the Determination of Thermo-Optical Properties of Polymers," Braz. Jou. Phy. 32, 483 - 494 (2002). [CrossRef]

Can. Jou. Phy.

• J. T. Dodgson, A. Mandelis, and C. Andreetta, "Optical absorption coefficient measurements in solids and liquids using correlation photoacoustic spectroscopy," Can. Jou. Phy. 64, 1074 - 1080 (1985). [CrossRef]

Cryst. Res. Technol.

• R. Srinivasan, M. Jayachandran, and K. Ramachandran, "Photoacoustic studies on optical and thermal properties of p-type and n-type nanostructured porous silicon for (100) and (111) orientations," Cryst. Res. Technol. 42, 266 - 274 (2007). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am.

• E. H. Land, "Some Aspects of the development of sheet polarizers," J. Opt. Soc. Am. 41, 957 - 963 (1951). [CrossRef]

J. Physique. IV

• N. G. C. Astrath, A. C. Bento, M. L. Baesso, A.F. Da Silva, R. Ahuja, C. Persson, S. Zhao, and C. G. Granqvist, "Thermal lens and photoacoustic spectroscopy to determine the thermo-optical properties of semiconductors," J. Physique. IV 125, 18 -183 (2005). [CrossRef]

Macromolecules

• T. Miyazaki, A. Hoshiko, M. Akasaka, T. Shintani, and S. Sakurai, "SAXS studies on structural changes in a poly(vinyl alcohol) film during uniaxial stretching in water," Macromolecules 39, 2921 - 2929 (2006). [CrossRef]

Polymer

• T. Miyazaki, S. Katayama, E. Funai, Y. Tsuji, amd S. Sakurai, "Role of adsorbed iodine into poly(vinyl alcohol) films drawn in KI/I2 solution," Polymer 467436 - 7442 (2005). [CrossRef]
• K. S. Katti and M. W. Urban, "Conductivity model and photoacoustic FT-IR surface depth profiling of heterogeneous polymers," Polymer 44, 3319 - 3325 (2003). [CrossRef]

Other

• M. Bennett and H. E. Bennett, "Polarization," in Handbook of Optics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1978), pp. 10.13-10.14
• S. K. Dalquist, "Process modifications for improved optical characteristics of K-type polarizer," Thesis (M. Eng.) MIT. Dept. of Mat. Sci. and Eng. (2003), http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/7978R.

Click here to see a list of articles that cite this paper

Related Journal Articles

• Fabry Perot etalon with polymer cholesteric liquid-crystal mirrors (OL)
• Photoinduction of Anisotropic Grains in Organic Compounds (AO)
• Photocrystallization Observed in Organic Compounds (AO)
• Light-induced macroscopic chirality in azo-dye-doped polymers (JOSAB)
• Weigert’s Effect Mechanism Observed in Dyes (AO)

Related Conference Papers

• Nonlinear optical fiber loop mirror with feedback using high birefringence fiber in the loop
• Q parameter scaling in scalar and vector models with dominant signal-noise and noise-noise beating terms
• Polarization Stabilizing for Diode-Pumped Passively Q-Switched Nd:YAG Microchip Lasers
• Ellipsometric Analysis and Functionalization of a Photoinduced Chiral Material
• Challenges for Polarization Ray Tracing