Synthesis and electrooptic properties of side‐chain methacrylate polymers containing a new azophenylbenzoxazole chromophore

The synthesis and characterization of four methacrylate copolymers obtained by radical addition polymerization of methyl methacrylate as well as a new methacrylate azophenylbenzoxazole chromophore in percentages of 10, 30, 50, and 70% were explored. The copolymers were amorphous and showed glass‐transition temperatures ranging from 132 to 146 °C. High‐quality polymer films were easily obtained by spin coating from N‐methylpyrrolidone solutions. Polymer films spun cast on iridium tin oxide (ITO) substrates were used in the electro‐optic (EO) experiments to evaluate the EO coefficients r₃₃ using the reflection technique. The measured values fell in the range of 1.7–3.7 pm/V (laser incident wavelength of 1.552 μm) depending on the percentage of chromophore in the polymer. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1162–1168, 2001