Synthesis and Photo-Bleaching of Epoxy-Based Nonlinear Optical Polymers Containing Triene Chromophores

Bis(diglycidyl)ether of bisphenol-A-aniline (BP-AN) based second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) polymers containing triene chromophores have been developed through post-polymer functionalization reactions. One-pot aldol condensation reaction of dicyanomethylidene functionalized verbenone as well as isophorone compounds with aldehyde functionalized BP-AN polymer enabled the introduction of various chromophore moieties with high degree of functionalization. These polymers were studied using various structural (1H NMR, FTIR), linear (UV-Vis) and NLO characterization techniques. A d33 value of ca. 139 pm/V at 1.064 µm was determined for a representative polymer containing verbenone unit. We have observed fast photo-bleaching in these polymers. Detailed studies on the photophysical properties of this class of materials have been carried out using various analytical techniques, the structure-properties relationship and photo-bleaching mechanisms will be presented.