Close, Ciara E.Ciara E.CloseGleeson, M. R.M. R.GleesonSheridan, John T.John T.Sheridan2011-11-222011-11-222011 Optic2011-03-01Journal of the Optical Society of America B0740-3224 (print)1520-8540 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/10197/3326For photopolymers, knowing the rate of diffusion of the active monomer is important when modeling the material evolution during recording in order to understand and optimize their performance. Unfortunately, a confusingly wide range of values have been reported in the literature. Re-examining these results, experiments are carried out for both coverplated (sealed) and uncoverplated material layers and the measurements are analyzed using appropriate models. In this way, a more detailed analysis of the diffraction processes taking place for large-period gratings is provided. These results, combined with those in Part II, provide unambiguous evidence that the monomer diffusion rate in a commonly used acrylamide polyvinyl alcohol-based material is of the order of 10−10 cm2=s. This value closely agrees with the predictions of the nonlocal polymerization-driven diffusion model.1011545 bytes1072 bytesapplication/pdftext/plainenThis paper was published in Journal of the Optical Society of America B and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=josab-28-4-658. Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.PhotopolymersMonomers--Diffusion rateDiffraction gratingsHolographyJournal Article28465866610.1364/JOSAB.28.000658https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/1.0/