The Photorefractive and Photovoltaic Properties of a Composite Based on Ferroelectric Polymer Doped with Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

The photorefractive effect is obtained in a composite of a ferroelectric polymer (polyvinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene (P(VDF/TrFE)) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), which serve simultaneously as non-linear optical chromophores and spectral sensitizers to a 1064-nm laser beam. It is established that the presence of internal field in the ferroelectric makes it possible to measure the photorefractive effect in the absence of applied external field. Undoped films of VDF/TrFE copolymer are not photosensitive and do not exhibit the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPE). BPE is observed (along with the photosensitivity) in polarized samples, when carbon nanotubes are introduced into the copolymer.