Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscope for the Study of Polymer-Nanotube Interactions

摘要

Advances in functionalization and dispersion mechanics of high aspect ratio nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, have given rise to a new class of polymer nanocomposites with anomalously enhanced optical properties in comparison to the intrinsic polymers Recent absorption and luminescence studies of carbon nanotube composites based on electro-optic polymer hosts such as MEH- PPV, have revealed some of the subtle relationships between nanotube-host interactions and the optical properties of the composite. However, the ability to tailor optical phenomena within these materials requires a more complete model of the effects of the nanotube functionalization and polymer-nanotube charge exchange on the scattering field around the nanostructure. Through this proposal, we intend to extend our current optical studies to include near-field interactions around individual nanostructures embedded in the polymer host.