Novel polyamides for second-order nonlinear optics with side-chain azo-NLO-phores

• Published in: Macromolecular chemistry and physics Vol. 200; no. 10; pp. 2309 - 2319
• Main Authors: Nemoto, Nobukatsu, Miyata, Fusae, Kamiyama, Tomoko, Nagase, Yu, Abe, Jiro, Shirai, Yasuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH 01.10.1999; WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physical Sciences; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymer Science; Polymers with particular properties; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Science & Technology; POLYESTERS; ACTIVE CHROMOPHORES; MAIN-CHAIN; HIGH-DENSITY; POLYMER; Second harmonic generation; Nylon; Solution polycondensation; Sulfone; Non linear optics; Aromatic polymer; Experimental study; Functional polymer; Azo compound; Side chain; Optical properties; Preparation; Soluble compound; Optical material; Optical absorption
• ISSN: 1022-1352; 1521-3935
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1521-3935(19991001)200:10<2309::AID-MACP2309>3.0.CO;2-D

This article describes the syntheses and second‐order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of a novel type of polyamides with side‐chain azo‐NLO‐phores. Two kinds of polyamides were prepared by condensation polymerization using 3‐{N‐methyl‐4‐[(4‐methylsulfonylphenyl)azo]anilino}‐1‐propyl 3,5‐diaminobenzoate (DA1) and 5‐(3‐{4‐[4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)phenylazo]phenyl}sulfonylpropyl)oxyisophthalic acid (IA1) or 5‐(3‐{N‐methyl‐4‐[(4‐methylsulfonylphenyl)azo]anilino}‐1‐propyl)oxyisophthalic acid (IA2). In the side chain of polyamide P3, which was obtained from DA1 and IA1, electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing groups of the NLO‐phores were alternatingly attached. In the side chain of polyamide P4, which was obtained from DA1 and IA2, electron‐donating groups of all side‐chain NLO‐phores were attached to their backbone. The obtained polyamides exhibit relatively good solubility in common organic solvents and provide optical‐quality films upon spin‐coating. The second‐harmonic generation (SHG) measurements of the obtained polyamides were carried out by the Maker fringe method using a Q‐switched Nd : YAG laser as an exciting beam after corona‐poling at various temperatures, indicating that P3 and P4 exhibit an optimum second‐order NLO coefficient, d33, of 8.7 and 16.5 pm/V, respectively.