Near-infrared photorefractive polymer composites based on carbon nanotubes

A photorefractive effect at the wavelength of 1064 nm is demonstrated for a composite consisting of an aromatic polyimide and carbon single wall nanotubes. The two-beam gain coupling coefficient and the net gain coefficient are equal to 90 and 65 cm−1, respectively, at 80 V/μm for a nanocomposite containing 0.25 wt% crude nanotube material. The refractive index modulation measured at E0 = 50 V/μm is close to Δn = 0.004.