Monomer diffusion rates in photopolymer material : Part II High-frequency gratings and bulk diffusion

Photosensitive polymers are of practical importance, and mass transport within such materials plays a critical role in their behavior. Building on the work in Part I [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B doc. ID 136413 (posted 5 January 2011, in press)], the diffusion constants of a number of materials (i.e., acrylamide, polyacrylamide, water, propanol, and acetone) within a photosensitive layer are measured. A combination of optical and physical chemistry techniques is applied under different conditions. Determining the rates of diffusion is beneficial as it: (i) indicates material stability over time and (ii) supports material characterization, modeling, and performance optimization