Optical Behavior of Ion Implanted Polymers

PS and PMMA samples were prepared and implanted with 50 keV N⁺ ions at doses ranging from 7 x 10¹⁴ to 7 x 10¹⁵ ions/cm². The transmittance, reflectance, and absorbance properties of these samples were studied across wavelengths ranging from 300 to nm and compared to the properties in 800 and 1200 Å thick sputtered carbon layers to determine the effects of ion implantation on the optical behavior of polymers. Increasing the dose resulted in higher absorption across all studied wavelengths, particulary in the near ultraviolet range. The near infrared range was the least affected by implantation. A Drude-Lorentz scattering model in which short carbon chains formed during implantation are largely responsible for the changes in optical behavior can best explain the effects. The number density of scattering centers as well as the number of centers formed per ion impact is estimated. The usefulness of these materials in active optical devices is discussed