The influence of the chemical structure on the (chi) ⁽³) of organic molecules has been selectively investigated in three poly(2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene) polymers. They have similar degrees of polymerization and polydispersity indexes and differ only for the structure of the side groups in the 2.5 positions of the phenylene rings, that are respectively C8 linear and C5 branched alkoxy chains and C12 bridged closed dialoxy chain. Z-scan measurements show that all the investigated substituted-PPVs exhibit a small Im (chi) ⁽³) and a large, negative Re (chi) ⁽³) at (lambda) =1064nm. The obtained results yield evidence of a considerable dependence of the third-order nonlinear optical properties on the steric effect of the substituents.

Date Published: 29 November 2000
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 4106, Linear, Nonlinear, and Power-Limiting Organics, (29 November 2000); doi: 10.1117/12.408530

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4106:
Linear, Nonlinear, and Power-Limiting Organics
Manfred Eich; Christopher M. Lawson; Mark G. Kuzyk; Manfred Eich; Mark G. Kuzyk; Christopher M. Lawson; Robert A. Norwood, Editor(s)