Enhanced grating formation speed and amplitude of photorefractive device modified with single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

We report on a fast and efficient polymeric photorefractive (PR) device by using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. In presence of SWCNTs, the magnitudes of photocurrent, space charge field, and refractive index modulation increased 56.9%, 20.3%, and 22.1%, respectively, due to enhanced charge separation and facilitative charge transport. The PR grating buildup speed of PR device with SWCNTs layers was three-and-a-half times faster than that without SWCNTs layers. The SWCNTs with layer structure provided an efficient electron-transfer matrix.