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Second‐order nonlinear optical properties of side‐chain liquid crystalline polymers studied by second harmonic generation from thin films
Author(s) -
Alastair D.,
Smith McL.,
Coles Harry J.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.1995.220060402
Subject(s) - side chain , materials science , polymer , second harmonic generation , thin film , nonlinear optics , wavelength , optics , nonlinear optical , alkyl , chain (unit) , optoelectronics , nonlinear system , composite material , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , chemistry , physics , laser , quantum mechanics , astronomy
The two independent elements of the second‐order nonlinear optical susceptibility tensor of a range of contact poled, donor–acceptor substitued side‐chain polymers are reported. The susceptibilities were measured by second harmonic generation from thin films, typically less than 0.5 μm thick, at a fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm. The largest value was χ (2) 36= 2.64 pm/V which is three times greater than the χ (2) 36value of KDP and was measured in a nitrobenzylidene side chain, polyhydroxystyrene polymer with an eleven unit alkyl chain spacer attaching the side group to the backbone. Typical susceptibility values obtained were χ (2) 31 ∼0.3 pm/V and X (2) 33 ∼1 pm/V. The coherence lengths of the materials, which lay in the range 4–12 μm, were measured at 1064 nm by the maker fringe technique using thick, wedge‐shaped samples.