Abstract

Molecular and polymeric polyconjugated organic compounds are considered as a promising class of nonlinear optical (NLO) materials due to their large third-order susceptibility along the conjugation direction. Molecular modeling and synthesis represent an important tool for designing compounds with enhanced nonlinear response. One of the most frequently used strategies for tuning optical properties is represented by the introduction of desirable functionalities that can be incorporated as structural modifications in the main chain or as side groups. However to improve the NLO properties of conjugated molecules it is necessary to gain a basic understanding of the relationships existing between molecular structure and hyperpolarizabilities.

© 2002 Optical Society of America