Second-order nonlinear optical properties of side-chain liquid crystalline polymers studied by second harmonic generation from thin films

The two independent elements of the second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility tensor of a range of contact poled, donor–acceptor substitued side-chain polymers are reported. The susceptibilities were measured by second harmonic generation from thin films, typically less than 0.5 μm thick, at a fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm. The largest value was χ = 2.64 pm/V which is three times greater than the χ value of KDP and was measured in a nitrobenzylidene side chain, polyhydroxystyrene polymer with an eleven unit alkyl chain spacer attaching the side group to the backbone. Typical susceptibility values obtained were χ～0.3 pm/V and X⁽²⁾₃₃～1 pm/V. The coherence lengths of the materials, which lay in the range 4–12 μm, were measured at 1064 nm by the maker fringe technique using thick, wedge-shaped samples.     

Doped Sol-Gel Films for Silica-on-Silicon Photonic Components

Further expansion of optical communication systems depends strongly on the development of cheap component technologies for functions such as switching, demultiplexing and amplification. Silica-on-silicon is increasingly recognised as the best approach to low cost integrated optics for such applications, but so far the functionality is limited. The purpose of NODES, a basic research collaboration sponsored by the European Union under the programme ESPRIT, has been to examine the application of sol-gel to a highly functional silica-on-silicon technology. In particular, the project has investigated film processing and characterisation, rare-earth doping for amplification, and semiconductor nanocrystallite doping for nonlinear functions. This paper presents the background and context to this work, summarises the technical results obtained, and discusses requirements and challenges for successful application of sol-gel in photonics.     

苯并[b]萘并[2'''',3'''':5,6][1,4]二噻英并[2,3-i]噻蒽-5,7,9,14,16,18-六酮的合成及其三阶非线性光学性能

以1,4-萘醌为原料,合成了含硫的醌构稠杂环化合物苯并[b]萘并[2',3':5,6][1,4]二噻英并[2,3-i]噻蒽-5,7,9,14,16,18-六酮(4),其结构经1H NMR和IR确证.采用波长为800 nm,脉宽为80 fs的Ti:Sapphire飞秒激光,运用双光束简并四波混频法测定了4的三阶非线性光学性能,结果表明,4的三阶非线性光学极化率χ(3),非线性折射率n2,分子二阶超极化率γ和响应时间分别为2.89×10-13 esu, 5.31×10-12 esu, 3.14×10-31 esu和101 fs.并分析了4的分子结构对其三阶非线性光学性能的影响.     

The pockels coefficient of new polymers for nonlinear optics and its time dependence after poling,compared with dielectric measurements

Epoxy polymers with donor–acceptor type side groups were synthesized for application in nonlinear optics. The stability of the Pockels coefficient was measured in thin films after poling. The relaxation times and their temperature dependence seem to be correlated with dielectric measurements. Guest–host systems (polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate with dimethylaminonitrostilbene) were investigated for comparison.     

Synthesis of Calix[4]arene Derivatives with NLO Properties

The new chromophore compounds with NLO properties were prepared by Knoevenagel condensation from forrnyl or diformyl calix[4/arene and isophorone derivatives in the presence of piperidine and acetic acid, respectively. In these chromophore calix[4]arenes, the ring locked trienes were employed as the conjugation bridge and electron acceptor in D-π-A units. The NMR spectra demonstrated that they existed in a cone conformation and consequently non-conjugated D-π-A units could be oriented at nearly the same direction.     

The Synthesis of Third—order Optical Nonlinear Organic Polyheterocyclic Materials

Synthesis of the third-order nonlinear materials:bis (1,4-dihydroxynaphthalene) tetrathiafulvalene and bis (1,4-dialkoxylnaphthalene) tetrathiafulvalene has been achieved in four steps, starting from 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthaquinone. The materials exhibit larger third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities χ.     

Synthesis and characterization of meso-ferrocenylethynyl 5,15-diphenylporphyrins

A series of four meso-ferrocenylethynyl (5,15-diphenylporphyrinato)nickel(II) derivatives have been synthesized by Sonogashira coupling reactions. Three of these compounds contain the electron-withdrawing groups including -CHO, -CHC(CN)₂, and -CCC₆H₄NO₂ at the remaining meso position, with a view to preparing push-pull chromophores, in which ferrocene serves as the electron donor. All the new compounds have been characterized spectroscopically and the molecular structure of one of these porphyrins (compound 11) has also been determined. The studies show that although the ferrocenylethynyl group can extend the π system of the central porphyrin core, the cyclopentadienyl rings of ferrocene are almost orthogonal to the porphyrin ring. This hinders ferrocene serving as a good electron donor in these systems.     

Second harmonic generation in polymers containing a new azo chromophore based on phenylnitrobenzoxazole

The synthesis of the new chromophores 2‐{4‐[4‐(N,N‐dihydroxyethylamino)‐phenylazo]‐phenyl}‐6‐nitrobenzoxazole ( 1 ) and 4‐[4‐(N,N‐dihydroxyethylamino)phenylazo]‐benzoic acid ( 2 ) is described. Three homopolymers obtained by the polycondensation of 1 with propyloxy‐terephthalic acid and 1 and 2 with 2,4‐tolylenediisocianate as well as two copolymers obtained by polycondensation of appropriate mixtures of chromophores 1 and 2 with 2,4‐tolylene‐diisocianate were prepared and characterized. All as‐prepared polymers but one (homopolyurethane of 1 ) were amorphous and exhibited good optical clarity, good thermal stability above the glass transition, and solubility in organic solvents. The second‐order nonlinear optical behavior of the amorphous polymers was investigated on spin‐coated corona‐poled films through second harmonic generation (SHG) experiments at 1064 nm. At this wavelength, resonance‐enhanced values of the SHG coefficient d₃₃ were found in the range between 6 and 34 pm/V where higher values were observed for polymers with a higher molar content of 1 . © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1468–1475, 2002     

Synthesis, linear, and quadratic-nonlinear optical properties of octupolar D3 and D2d bipyridyl metal complexes

A series of D3 (Fe(II), Ru(II), Zn(II), Hg(II)) and D2d (Cu(I), Ag(I), Zn(II)) octupolar metal complexes featuring different functionalized bipyridyl ligands has been synthesized, and their thermal, linear (absorption and emission), and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties were determined. Their quadratic NLO susceptibilities were determined by harmonic light scattering at 1.91 microm, and the molecular hyperpolarizability (beta0) values are in the range of 200-657 x 10(-30) esu for octahedral complexes and 70-157 x 10(-30) esu for tetrahedral complexes. The octahedral zinc(II) complex 1 e, which contains a 4,4'-oligophenylenevinylene-functionalized 2,2'-bipyridine, exhibits the highest quadratic hyperpolarizability ever reported for an octupolar derivative (lambdamax=482 nm, beta1.91(1 e)=870 x 10(-30) esu, beta0(1 e)=657 x 10(-30) esu). Herein, we demonstrate that the optical and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties are strongly influenced by the symmetry of the complexes, the nature of the ligands (donor endgroups and pi linkers), and the nature of the metallic centers. For example, the length of the pi-conjugated backbone, the Lewis acidity of the metal ion, and the increase of ligand-to-metal ratio result in a substantial enhancement of beta. The contribution of the metal-to-ligand (MLCT) transition to the molecular hyperpolarizability is also discussed with respect to octahedral d6 complexes (M=Fe, Ru).