PREPARATION OF A NOVEL CROSS-LINKED POLYMER FOR 2ND-ORDER NONLINEAR OPTICS

A novel cross-linked pyroelectric polymer with pronounced second-order nonlinear optical properties has been prepared. A multistep synthesis with several selective transformations including a kinetic resolution (transesterification) with the highly enantioselective Candida antarc tica lipase B, yielded the monomer (R)-(-)-2[(10-acryloyloxy)decyl]oxy }-3-nitrophenyl 4-{4'-[(11-acryloyloxy)undecyloxy]phenyl} benzoate A2e which displayed a ferroelectric chiral smectic C phase with large spo ntaneous polarization (175 nC/cm(2)). The monomer was poled and subseq uently cross-linked by in-situ photopolymerization in the surface-stab ilized ferroelectric liquid crystalline state. The cross-linked pyroel ectric polymer exhibited an electro-optical coefficient (r(22) - r(12) ) of 15-35 pm/V.