Image formation via photoinduced fluorescence changes in a polymeric medium
with two-photon fluorescence readout of a multi-layer structure. Fluorophore-containing
polymers, possessing one or more basic functional groups, underwent protonation
in the presence of a photoinduced acid generator upon exposure to a broad-band
UV light source or fast-pulsed red to near-IR laser irradiation. Solution studies
demonstrated formation of monoprotonated and diprotonated species upon irradiation,
each resulting in distinctly different absorption and fluorescence properties.
The fluorescence of the original, neutral, fluorophore was reduced upon monoprotonation,
leading to a concomitant increase in fluorescence at longer wavelengths due to
the monoprotonated form, the basis for multichannel data readout. Experiments in
polymer films demonstrate the changes in fluorescence properties of the photosensitive
polymer compositions and polymers can be employed for a high storage density, write-once
read-many (WORM) data storage medium with two-photon fluorescence readout. Two-channel,
two-photon fluorescence imaging provided both "positive" and "negative" image readout capability.