Novel method for controlling Faraday rotation in conductive polymers

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have developed a new method to control the optical rotation of the Polymère Polymère driver in a low -voltage magnetic field. This method combines the phenomenon of “Faraday rotation”, in which a polarizing plan turns in response to a magnetic field, with electrochemical oxidation and the reduction of conductive polymers.

The study is published in the journal Molecular crystals and liquid crystals.

The conductive polymers have various properties in addition to conductivity, with applications in light emission devices, the armor of electromagnetic waves and anticorrosion materials.

One of their properties is the generation of thriller, which are virtual particles responsible for electrical conduction and form during doping via electrochemical oxidation in conductive polymers. These thrilings considerably influence optical and magnetic properties.

Here, the researchers focused on the phenomenon of “Faraday rotation”, in which optically inactive substances have an optical rotation when the linearly polarized light passes parallel to a magnetic field.

The research group has already synthesized various polymers conductive optically active in liquid crystals. Here, the researchers synthesized optically inactive polythiophens and modulated their thriller by oxidizing them and reducing electrochemically (doping and dedicated) in a magnetic field under a configuration of Faraday to a low constant tension of 1.5 V.

Thus, a combination of magnetic modulation and electrochemistry supplies the conductive polymers with an electrochemical control of optical rotation. They have developed a method to control the optical rotation of the Aciral Polythiophenes. This method has promising applications in magnetic field sensors and optical communication devices.