Synthesis and Characterization of Two‐Photon Active Chromophores Based on Tetrathienoacene (TTA) and Dithienothiophene (DTT)

Three new donor–π–donor (D‐π‐D) tetrathienoacene (thieno[2′,3′:4,5]thieno[3,2‐b]thieno[2,3‐d]thiophene (TTA))‐cored chromophores, end‐functionalized with electron‐donating triphenylamine (TPA) groups, were developed and characterized for their two‐photon‐related properties by using both nano‐ and femtosecond laser pulses as the probing tools. TTA‐based chromophores exhibit stronger and more widely dispersed two‐photon absorption (2PA) than those of dithienothiophene (DTT)‐based congeners. As a consequence, the bithiophene‐conjugated TTA chromophore exhibits the highest maximum 2PA cross‐section value (up to 2500 GM) with good thermal stability, and thus, it is the best performing two‐photon chromophore among the studied model compounds. The bithiophene‐conjugated DTT analogue exhibits the second highest maximum two‐photon absorptivity of 1950 GM, which is nearly 7 times larger than that of previously reported DTT‐based chromophores.