Advanced Materials · 1999 · 64 citations · 0 references
Natural SciencesChemistryMaterials ScienceOptical MaterialsPolymer ChemistryPolymer EngineeringIntermolecular ForcesMolecular NanotechnologyNonlinear Optical MaterialsNonlinear OpticsOptical PolymersOrganic SemiconductorsInfrared Nonlinear Optical MaterialsMolecular Nonlinear OpticsNonlinear Optical PolymersNonlinear Wave OpticsOrganic Nonlinear Optical MaterialsPolymerization-induced Optical Properties
“Push–pull” nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores—which consist of an electron-donating group and an electron-withdrawing group connected by a π-conjugated system—with optimized hyperpolarizability tend to lead to materials with reduced stability, solubility, or transparency. It is demonstrated that molecular engineering can produce NLO chromophores, such as that in the Figure, with satisfactory stability, solubility, and transparency characteristics.