Toward Polydiacetylenes as Utile Optical and Electronic Elements

Motivations for the study of nonlinear optical phenomena in polydiacetylenes (PDAs) are discussed. Recent progress in the fabrication and characterization of PDA waveguides is summarized along with approaches to the interpretation of the observed nonlinear optical phenomena. Attempts to create a carrier population in PDAs via charge transfer chemistry are reviewed. The implantation of PDAs with 75As ions has been studied by several spectroscopic techniques and converts these insulators into highly conducting materials.