Nonlinear optical polymers. Second harmonic generation in corona-poled thin films

The synthesis and second harmonic coefficients, d_3,1 and d_3,3 as well as the related susceptibilities χ⁽²⁾_zzz of five series of (NLO-dye methacrylate)-(methyl methacrylate) copolymers were investigated. The NLO-chromophores bound covalently to the polymer backbone were 5-(2,2-dicyanovinyl)-or 4-(2-cyano-2-methoxycarbonyl)vinyl-1-piperidino-2-thiophene (P₁ and P₂), 4-nitro-4′-alkoxy-stilbene (P₃), 4-nitro-3′-methoxy-4′-alkoxystilbene (P₄) and 4-nitro-4′-alkoxy-α-cyano stilbene (P₅). The second order nonlinear optical properties of corona-poled aligned thin polymer films, using a needle electrode in order to induce noncentrosymmetry, were evaluated. Nonlinear susceptibilities, χ⁽²⁾_zzz, of the films were derived from the analysis of full-angle Maker fringe patterns at 1064 nm, χ⁽²⁾_zzz values as high as 1.98×10⁻⁷ esu for P₂ copolymers and of 1.19×10⁻⁷ esu for P₃ copolymers could be achieved.     

The second and third order non-linear optical properties of liquid crystalline polymers

The second and third order non-linear optical susceptibilities of several donoracceptor substituted side chain polymers, some of which exhibit mesophases, will be reported. The susceptibilities were measured by harmonic generation from thin films, typically 0·5 μm thick, at a fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm and 1579 nm. For second harmonic generation, the spin coated films were contact poled on a glass substrate with an interdigited electrode pattern. Typical values obtained were χ⁽²⁾₃₁ = 1 × 10^-9 esu and χ⁽²⁾₃₃ = 3 × 10^-9 esu, the largest value was χ⁽²⁾₃₃ = 6·3 × 10^-9 esu. The difficulty in deriving reliable second order structure-property relations because of the large effect which the contact poling process has on the non-linear optical susceptibility of the films will be highlighted. The highest χ⁽³⁾ value of 5·8 × 10^-12 esu obtained from an amorphous film of a polymer with an asymmetrically substituted azo side group is comparable with the susceptibility of more typical third order non-linear materials such as the main chain polymers polyphenylacetylene and poly-p-phenylenebenzobisthiazole.     

Third-order Nonlinear Optical Properties of Octa-substituted Metal-free Phthalocyanine Thin Films

Third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility, χ⁽³⁾ of symmetrically octa-substituted metal-free phthalocyanine thin films measured by the third-harmonic generation technique are reported. The metal-free phthalocyanine has been found to show a χ⁽³⁾ (−3ω; ω,ω, ω) value as large as 7.73×10⁻¹² esu at 1.80 μm. The figure of merit, χ⁽³⁾/α, was estimated to be 4.17×10¹⁷ esu cm at 1.05 μm and 6.97×10¹⁶ esu cm at 1.65 μm. Both linear and third-order optical properties of liquid-crystalline metal-free phthalocyanines are discussed     

Non‐Resonant z‐Scan Characterization of the Third‐Order Nonlinear Optical Properties of Conjugated Poly(thiophene azines)

The nonlinear optical properties of a functionalized poly(thiophene azine), namely, poly(3,4‐didodecylthiophene azine), PAZ, at the optical telecommunication wavelength of 1550 nm are investigated by means of the closed‐aperture z‐scan technique in both thin films and solutions. Values of χ⁽³⁾=(2.4±0.4)×10^?13 esu, n₂=(4.0±0.7)×10^?15 cm² W^?1, and γ=(4.5±0.7)×10^?34 esu are estimated for the third‐order (Kerr) susceptibility, the intensity‐dependent refractive index, and the molecular second hyperpolarizability of solution samples, respectively. A very small dependence on the polymer chain length is found. Markedly higher values of (4.4±1.1)×10^?11 esu, (6.6±1.0)×10^?13 cm² W^?1, and (5.0±0.8)×10^?33 esu are measured for the corresponding quantities in thick (up to 20 μm) polymer films cast on quartz plates. The enhancement of the NLO responses on going from solution to solid samples is attributed to a partially ordered structure and to the presence of interchain interactions leading to greater π‐electron delocalization in the cast polymer films. The results are compared with those previously obtained by using third‐harmonic generation (THG), taking into account that those data were measured under conditions of three‐photon resonance, whereas our z‐scan measurements are fully off‐resonance.     

Nonlinear optical properties of poly(fluorophenyl-diacetylene) evaporated films

A new insoluble polydiacetylene with fluoro-aromatic units directly bound to the π-conjugated main backbone has been obtained via solid-state polymerization induced by UV light, daylight and γ-rays. Third-order harmonic generation has been measured on poly(fluorophenyl-diacetylene) films prepared by the vacuum deposition method. The third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility of this poly(fluorophenyl-diacetylene) film was evaluated as χ⁽³⁾ = 7.3 × 10⁻¹¹ esu.     

Synthesis,crystal structure and non-linear optical properties of a new cyanide-containing compound

Reaction of K₃[Fe(CN)₆], NiCl₂ and diethylenetriamine (dien) resulted in the formation of a cyanide-containing heterometallic compound [Ni(dien)₂]₂[Fe(CN)₆]·4H₂O 1. The structure consists of two octahedral [Ni(dien)₂]²⁺ cations, one octahedral [Fe(CN)₆]^4? anion and four crystallization water molecules, which are held together by hydrogen-bonding interactions. Its TG curve exhibits two stages of mass loss. Compound 1 in DMF solutions has a very strong third-order non-linear optical (NLO) behavior with an absorption coefficient and refractive index α₂?=?1.10?×?10^?11?m?w^?1, n ₂?=??3.05?×?10^?19?m²?w^?1, respectively, and third-order NLO susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ 4.34?×?10^?13?esu.     

Preparation and nonlinear optical properties of Au nanoparticles doped TiO2 thin films

Nano-sized noble metal nanoparticles doped dielectric composite films with large third-order nonlinear susceptibility due to the confinement and the enhancement of local field were considered to be applied for optical information processing devices, such as optical switch or all optical logical gates. In this paper, sol–gel titania thin films doped with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, ~10 nm in average size) were prepared. AuNPs were firstly synthesized from HAuCl₄ in aqueous solution at ~60 °C, using trisodium citrate as the reducing agent, polyvinylpyrrolidone as the stable agent; then the particle size and optical absorption spectra of the AuNPs in aqueous solutions were characterized by transmitting electron microscopy and UV–Vis–NIR spectrometry. Sol–gel 2AuNPs–100TiO₂ (in %mol) thin films (5 layers, ~1 μm in thickness) were deposited on silica glass slides by multilayer dip-coating. After heat-treated at 300–1,000 °C in air, the AuNPs–TiO₂ thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The nonlinear optical properties of the AuNPs–TiO₂ thin films were measured with the Z-scan technique, using a femtosecond laser (200 fs) at the wavelength of 800 nm. The third-order nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficient of 2AuNPs–100TiO₂ films were at the order of 10^?12 cm²/W, and the order of 10^?6 cm/W, respectively, and the third-order optical nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ was ~6.88 × 10^?10 esu.     

Preparation and femtosecond non-linear optical properties of Ag/SiO2 composite thin films

Ag nanoparticles embedded in SiO₂ thin films (Ag/SiO₂ films) were prepared by a multitarget sputtering method. In the optical absorption spectra of the Ag/SiO₂ films, the absorption peak due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag particle was clearly observed at the wavelength of 394–413 nm. The imaginary part of the third-order non-linear susceptibility, Im [χ⁽³⁾], of the Ag/SiO₂ film was estimated to be ?1.1×10^?8 esu measured by the femtosecond Z-scan technique near the SPR peak. The response time of the film measured from the decay of the differential transmission of the pump-probe experiment was 1.3 ps at the SPR peak.     

Synthesis,processing, and third-order nonlinear optical properties of benzobisthiazole polymers containing thiophene moieties

Benzobisthiazole polymers containing mono-, bi-, and terthiophene moieties were synthesized through polycondensation in polyphosphoric acid of 2,5-diamino-1,4-benzenedithiol dihydrochloride with thiophene-2,5-dicarboxylic acid, 2,2′-bithiophene-5,5′-dicarboxylic acid, and 2,2′:5′,2″-terthlophene-5,5″-dicarboxylic acid, or their corresponding diacid chlorides, respectively. Intrinsic viscosities of up to 8.1 dL/g (methanesulfonic acid, 30°C) were recorded. Polymer structures were verified by elemental analysis and spectroscopic comparison of the polymers with appropriate model compounds. Onset of breakdown under thermogravimetric analysis in air occurred in the 460–590°C range with the benzobisthiazole polymers containing a monothiophene linkage being the most stable. Films suitable for third-order optical susceptibility measurements could be prepared by extrusion techniques from the benzobisthiazole polymer containing a monothiophene linkage. Degenerate four wave mixing measurements on this film yielded a third order optical susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ of approximately 4.5 × 10^?10 esu. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Design and synthesis of polyindole - ZnO nano composite for NLO applications

Present paper mainly focuses on the synthesis, characterization polyindole-ZnO nano composites for third order nonlinear optical applications. Polyindole was synthesized through oxidative polymerization technique and its composites were prepared with different ZnO concentration. Structural morphology of the polymer composite was studied using FESEM, XRD and UV Visible spectroscopic technique. Polymer showed broad absorption with absorption maxima of 395 nm. Newly prepared thin films showed excellent nonlinear absorption with very good optical limiting behaviour when it is exposed to He-Ne laser with maximum optical limiting power of 11 mW along with third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ of 2.72 × 10^?3 esu. Hence these polymer composites may be potential candidate for optical limiting applications.     

Synthesis and properties of a second‐order nonlinear optical side‐chain polyimide

A thermal stable aromatic polyimide (PI) with side‐chain second‐order nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores has been developed. The PI was prepared by the ring‐opening polyaddition of 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride with a new diamine having two N‐ethyl‐N‐[4‐[(6‐chlorobenzothiazol‐2‐yl)diazenyl]phenyl]‐2‐aminoethanol units as the NLO chromophore, followed by poling during or after the thermal imidization process. The resulting PI had number and weight‐average molecular weights (M_n, M_w) of 25,000 and 80,000, respectively, and a relatively high glass transition temperature of 180°C. The second harmonic coefficient (d₃₃) of PI at the wavelength of 1.064 μm was 138 pm/V (329.6 × 10⁻⁹ esu) and remained unchanged at elevated temperatures. The corona poling process of the NLO‐substituted poly(amic acid) to the PI was also studied in detail by measuring the second harmonic generation (SHG) from the polymer films. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1321–1329, 1999     

Synthesis,crystal structure,and third-order non-linear optical properties of a new Cd(II) polymer constructed from pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid

A new cadmium(II) pyrazine-2-carboxylate coordination polymer, {[Cd(L)(H₂O)₂(SO₄)_0.5]₂·H₂O}_n (1) (HL = pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid), has been synthesized by low-temperature solid-state reaction. Single-crystal X-ray analyses reveal that 1 possesses a 3-D framework structure. The polymer 1 was characterized by elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analyses, X-ray powder diffraction analyses, IR spectra, and UV–visible spectra. The third-order non-linear optical properties were also investigated and they exhibit nice non-linear absorption and self-defocusing performance with modulus of the hyperpolarizability (γ) 1.30 × 10^?30 esu for 1 in a 2.01 × 10^?4 M?dm^?3 DMF solution.     

New algorithm for high-order time-dependent hartree–fock theory for nonlinear optical properties

A new formalism and algorithm is developed for solving the general-order time-dependent Hartree–Fock (TDHF) problem. It is shown that for any order a generalization of the TDHF equations can be derived where all lower-order solutions constitute a constant term. This makes it very easy to obtain high-order solutions. As the space required for the mapping of density matrices to Fock matrices in a problem of a giver order is largely reduced, we can perform the most time-consuming steps within the core memory of the machine and easily manipulate vector products via optimum routines. The second hyperpolarizability γ is obtained from the secondorder TDHF solution via a 2n rule. The formalism also allows for expressing all terms in the equation diagrammatically, which provides additional physical insight and a more systematic evaluation of terms. To illustrate the method, TDHF results are presented for trans-butadiene and carbon monoxide for several optical processes, including correlation corrections to their static hyperpolarizabilities obtained via coupled cluster (CCSD) and many-body perturbation theory. The hybrid TDHF/CCSD method provides excellent agreement with the DC–SHG experiments (χ||⁽²⁾ = 11.4 x 10^?32 esu/mol compared to 12.9 ± 11.4 × 10^?32 esu/mol and χ||⁽³⁾ = 149 compared to 144 ± 4 × 10^?39 esu/mol).     

Synthesis and characterization of photorefractive polymers containing indole groups

Some new photorefractive polymers containing indole groups were synthesized and characterized by IR, ¹H NMR, and UV techniques. The Gibbs free energy changes (ΔG) of corresponding reactions were predicted by density functional theory to be 4.19 and ?9.71 kcal mol^?1 for –H, and 4.12 and ?11.93 kcal mol^?1 for –OCH₃, respectively. The glass transition temperature (T _g) of the polymers were about 96–111 °C. The nonlinear second-order optical susceptibility was predicted to be 2.84 × 10^?30 and 1.04 × 10^?30 esu by theoretical quantum calculations.     

Mercaptopyridine-substituted indium,zinc, and metal-free phthalocyanines: nonlinear optical studies in solution and on polymer matrices

In this article, the nonlinear optical characterizations and optical limiting properties of metal-free (2), zinc (3), and indium (4) tetra 4-(2-mercaptopyridine) phthalocyanines are discussed. Nonlinear optical properties of the samples were evaluated using Z-scan at 532 nm and 10 ns pulse in CHCl₃, and doped on poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PBC) thin films. Thin films for 2, 3, and 4 are represented as 2-PBC, 3-PBC, and 4-PBC, respectively. We observed two-photon absorption (2PA) and strong reverse saturable absorption as the dominant mechanisms at nanosecond laser excitation in solution and thin films. By virtue of the magnitude of absorption coefficients and other nonlinear optical parameters estimated in this work, sample 4 was found to exhibit strongest nonlinear optical properties followed by 3, while 2 is the weakest nonlinear absorber of the studied samples. Large third-order susceptibility (1.46 × 10^?9 esu and 7.74 × 10^?10 esu) and hyperpolarizability (2.13 × 10^?28 and 8.37 × 10^?29 esu) were estimated for 4-PBC and 3-PBC, respectively. Our studies show that these molecules are suitable candidates for practical passive optical limiters.     

Synthesis and Third‐Order Nonlinear Optical Properties of Triphenylene Derivatives Modified by Click Chemistry

A series of asymmetric triphenylene derivatives containing typical D –π–A structures is successfully synthesized by means of [2+2] cycloaddition–cycloreversion click reactions. The photophysical and electrochemical properties, as well as the click reactions, are characterized by means of UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and DFT modulations. In addition, the third‐order nonlinear properties, including the nonlinear absorption and the nonlinear susceptibilities, are investigated by using Z‐scan techniques. A typical reverse saturable absorption–saturable absorption behavior is observed for the third‐order nonlinear absorption, with the third‐order nonlinear susceptibilities of the compounds being 1.05×10^?12, ?1.50×10^?12, and ?0.52×10^?12 esu, respectively.     

Evaluation of nonlinear optical susceptibility of polydiacetylenes by third harmonic generation

Nonlinear optical susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ of polydiacetylenes has been evaluated by third harmonic generation. First, in order to obtain the χ⁽³⁾ tensor component along the polymer main chain, thin single crystals of two representative polydiacetylenes, poly-PTS and poly-DCHD were made by utilization of sampling technique in microscopy, i.e., the microtome cutting of single crystal embedded in plastic resin. The THG intensity observed was proportional to cos⁸θ, where θ was the angle between the polymer main chain and the polarization of laser light. The χ⁽³⁾ value of poly-DCHD was found to be rather higher than that of poly-PTS. At resonant wavelength of 1.97 μm, the χ⁽³⁾ of poly-DCHD attained 8 x 10^?10 esu. Furthermore, it was confirmed that when geometrical correction were properly made, the χ⁽³⁾ obtained from polycrystalline thin film of poly-PTS agreed well with that from thin single crystals. Secondary, regarding poly-diphenyldiacetylene derivatives, it was found that the π-conjugation between the polymer main chain and aromatic substituents was effective on the improvement of χ⁽³⁾ values. The χ⁽³⁾ magnitudes of poly-BTFP and poly-DFMP reflect well the dihedral angles between polymer main chain and the phenyl substituents (58° for poly-BTFP and 67° for poly-DFMP) as a measure of π-conjugation. Especially, at nonresonant region of 2.1 μm the χ⁽³⁾ of poly-BTFP is about 5 times greater than that of poly-PTS.     

Precursor method for polymeric LB films

First, the general concept of the “Precursor Method” for the preparation of polymeric Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films that possess no long alkyl chain between film layers, and the preparation of polybenzothiazole 7 LB film are described. The preparation of 7 LB film was carried out by the same procedure as that used to make polyimide LB films via precursor LB films of polyamides that contain β-carboxyethylthio alkylamine salts 6. Precursor 6 LB film had a Y type structure with monolayer thickness of 2.8 nm, while polybenzothiazole 7 LB film had 0.34 nm. The nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ of polybenzothiazole 7 LB film in parallel to the dipping direction was 3.8 × 10⁻¹¹ esu, whereas the susceptibility in the perpendicular direction was about one fifth of that of the parallel direction.     

Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Third‐order Nonlinear Optical Properties of Nest‐shaped Cluster [CuBr(bpy)2] [MoOS3Cu3‐Br2(bpy)]

Nest‐shaped cluster [CuBr(bpy)₂][MoOS₃Cu3Br₂(bpy)] was synthesized by the treatment of (NH₄)₂ MOO₂S₂, CuBr and Et₄NBr with bpy (2,2′‐bipyridyl) in CH₃CN. Its structure has been characterized by X‐ray diffraction; monoclinic, space group P2₁/n ‐ with a = l.0092(4), b = 2.6347(7), c = 1.4087(3) nm, β = 91.744(9)°, V = 3.7438 nm³, Z=4, and final R = 0.051, R_w = 0.053. It consists of two parts: nest‐shaped structural unit [MoOS₃Cu₃Br₂(bpy)] and complex ion [CuBr(bpy)²]⁺. We determined its third‐order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties with a 7‐ns pulsed laser at 532 nm. The duster exhibits strong NLO refractive behavior, its third‐order susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ was calculated to be 2.7 · 10^?11 esu in a 7.8 · 10^?4 g/cm³ DMF solution. The value is comparable to those of inorganic dusters.     

Study of third-order nonlinear susceptibility of polySchiff base containing triphenylamine

PolySchiff base containing triphenylamine has been synthesized by polycondensation and character-ized by FT-IR,NMR,UV-visible spectrometer. Measurements of the third-order optical nonlinear sus-ceptibility χ(3) by Z-scan technique have shown that the large nonlinearity is dominated by the two-photon absorption in PSB. The sign and size of real part Reχ(3) ,nonlinear refractive index n2 have been measured with the condition of 532 nm,8 ns-duration pulses to be -1.23×10-10 esu,-3.06×10-12 esu;nonlinear absorption index β and size of image part Imχ(3) to be 3.63×10-10 m/W,1.15×10-11 esu,respec-tively,so the third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ(3) is 1.19×10-11 esu. The value is larger than other polymers reported. PSB is self-focusing material and has potential application in nonlinear optic field.