Experimental Study Of Electro-Optical Modulation Characteristic Based On Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a new class of organic salts which composed of cations and anions. Recently, as novel media and soft functional materials, ILs have attracted more and more researchers' special attentions. Most reports only directly or indirectly studied their electric or optical properties. But little is know about the electro-optic interaction of ILs when electrical and optical signals exist in them simultaneously to date. In this work, using ILs which have good conductivity and optical transmission performance as media, the electro-optic modulation characteristic is firstly investigated by experiment. It is found that when the modulation signal is low-frequency AC, optical power output and AC signal oscillate with the same frequency. Optical power amplitude is found to be dependent on AC frequency and amplitude. When the modulation signal is DC, it can work as an optical switch. Also the factors which have impact on electro-optic modulation are investigated, such as types of ILs, physical size of modulator part, refractive index, electrical conductivity of ILs and temperature. Some organic solvent are investigated by the same method as a comparative experiment, and it find no modulation phenomenon. At last, base on the experiments, a tentative explanation which references to capillary electrophoresis and electro-optic effect is given to experiment.The electro-optic modulation theory of ILs is not clear. There is still much work to do. The results of this work provide the basis for further study of the electro-optic interaction of ILs. Also it has positive significance for a more clearly understanding the structure and physicochemical properties of ILs.