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.