SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NLO CHROMOPHORES BEARING POLY(1,6-HEPTADIYNE)S FOR ELECTROOPTIC APPLICATION

We utilized the metathesis reaction to synthesize a new type of multif unctional polymer that contains a conjugated backbone and a second-ord er NLO chromophore as a pendant group. The 1,6-heptadiyne derivatives bearing NLO chromophores were easily polymerized by using a metathesis catalyst to give corresponding polymers with large optical nonlineari ties. Molecular structural characterizations for the resulting polymer s were achieved by H-1- and C-13-NMR, FTIR, and UV-visible spectroscop ies. Soluble polymers were obtained up to 72 mol % of chromophore mono mer portion in the copolymer. These amorphous polymers exhibited good film-forming abilities and thermal stability. The electro-optic coeffi cient, r(33), of the poled polymer films was in the range of 0.5-10.1 pm/V, and the nonresonant values of the third-order NLO coefficient, c hi((3)) was found to be about 10(-11) esu. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.