Photochemical nano-scale patterning with Rhodamine 6G dye from aqueous phase

摘要

Surface relief gratings produced on planar substrates have been widely investigated for their application as a holographic recording medium. Much of this work has concentrated on gratings made in polymer thin films with an azo-benzene group. We describe a novel phenomenon involving surface relief gratings which are formed by deposition of Rhodamine 6G dye on polybutadiene thin film. This deposition as a grating pattern is photo-induced in a dye-solution by holographic interference of low power 488 run light from an argon-ion laser. Dynamics of this aqueous-phase grating deposition is investigated for various concentrations of the dye. A plausible mechanism of grating formation involves photochemical reaction of polybutadiene substrate with the laser-excited dye. Surface relief structure of the grating is characterized with an atomic force microscope.