Ion beam effects in diacetylenes

Due to their unique backbone structure and crystalline organization, polydiacetylenes (PDAs) are considered to be prototype one-dimensional systems. They were shown to have properties considered important to realize concepts of all-optical signal processing. Macroscopic, nearly defect-free, highly anisotropic PDA single crystals are prepared by exposure of diacteylene monomers to various forms of radiation. These materials can also be prepared as thin film crystals and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) assemblies. We have studied and compared the effects of ion beam irradiation on different configurations of diacetylenes: bulk crystals, thin films and LB structures. Exposure of monomeric diacetylene films to very low fiuence ion beams results in their polymerization and in the formation of good quality anisotropic films of controlled thickness. Significant changes in optical and electrical properties of PDAs were observed and studied by optical absorption and do temperature dependent conductivity measurements.