Second order nonlinear optical properties of multifunctional chiral azobenzene polymers

Corona poling behaviours of optically active photochromic copolymers derived from methyl methacrylate (MMA) and the methacrylic ester of (S)-3-hydroxy pyrrolidine linked through the nitrogen atom to the highly conjugated photochromic 4'-(β-cyano-β-(methylsulfonyl)vinyl)-4-azobenzene moiety, have been investigated with the aim to evaluate the effect on the non-linear optical (NLO) properties originated by the presence of inactive side-chain MMA groups along the main chain. The NLO properties of in situ corona poled polymeric films have been studied by second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements. The d33 values of the investigated polymers were determined to be in the range 10-86 pm/V after corona poling. The temporal and thermal stability of the optimal SHG signals obtained after corona poling process of all the macromolecular materials has been investigated and compared. The results indicate that the maximum of these properties can be obtained at a molar content of photochromic units around 20-40%.