Measurement of quadratic hyperpolarizabilities of unsymmetrical donor-acceptor bi- and polyaryls: effect of size and torsion angle of aryl units

• Published in: Chemical physics Vol. 160; no. 3; pp. 467 - 475
• Main Authors: Puccetti, G., Ledoux, I., Zyss, J., Jutand, A., Amatore, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.03.1992; Elsevier
• Subjects: Atomic and molecular physics; Electric and magnetic moments (and derivatives), polarizability and magnetic susceptibility; Exact sciences and technology; Molecular properties and interactions with photons; Physics; Properties of molecules and molecular ions; Substituent effect; Chemical solution; Nitrile; Non linear optics; Experimental study; Intramolecular charge transfer; Steric effect; Electric hyperpolarizability; Benzenic compound; Ultraviolet visible spectrum; Vibrational mode; Dipole moment; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0301-0104
• DOI: 10.1016/0301-0104(92)80013-L

The linear and quadratic nonlinear optical properties of donor-acceptor polyphenyls and naphthyl derivatives are in investigated. The behaviour of the static first-order hyperpolarizability β(O) as a function of the number n of phenyl units separating an acceptor group (cyano) and a donor group (methylthio) is studied for n=1, 2, 3, and compared to that of similar polyphenyls bearing other donor substitutents (N,N-dimethylamino, methoxy). β(O) is also measured for unsymmetrical donor-acceptor biaryls containing at least one napthyl unit. A clear influence of the twist angle between the two units on the quadratic nonlinear response of the molecule is evidenced, allowing for fine control of the transparency/nonlinear efficiency trade-off.