Application of hyper-Rayleigh scattering for the experimental determination of molecular structure in monomers and polymers

The extension of hyper-Rayleigh scattering, from a technique for the experi mental determination of the first hyperporarizability, beta, of molecules i n solution, to a means of determining the molecular structure of monomers a nd polymers in solution, is discussed in this paper. The theoretical framew ork for this extension is given and the instrumental set-up is described. I t is shown, with selected examples, that the information from hyper-Rayleig h scattering alone is sufficient to deduce a consistent structural picture of advanced molecules and polymers in solution. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.