Photorefractive properties of composites based on polyvinyl alcohol, single-wall carbon nanotubes, and fullerene

Abstract

Composites with photoelectrical, nonlinear optical, and photorefractive properties have been prepared. The composites consist of polyvinyl alcohol, single-wall carbon nanotubes, and fullerene C₆₀. Addition of C₆₀ with a long wavelength boundary near 630 nm resulted in an eight- to tenfold increase in both the quantum efficiency of generation of mobile hole charges and the photorefractive two beam gain coefficient measured at wavelengths exceeding 1000 nm (over an area of optical absorption of nanotubes). This is attributed to electron trapping by acceptor fullerene, which limits the regeneration of photogenerated charges and provides an increase in mobile hole charges.