Design and synthesis of a zero-photoelastic birefringence polymer with a high glass-transition temperature by a random copolymerization method

We designed and synthesized a zero-photoelastic birefringence polymer that had a high glass-transition temperature (Tg) by introducing trans-stilbene units into the side chains of the copolymer by a random copolymerization method. The concentration of the trans-stilbene units required to compensate for photoelastic birefringence in the random copolymer was lower than that required in a polymer prepared by in anisotropic molecule dopant method, because the presence of an anisotropic moiety in the side chain of the polymer has a greater effect than does an anisotropic molecule doped in the polymer.