Akzo Nobel N.v.

Erik Kelderman

David N Reinhoudt

Willem Verboom

Johannes F Engbersen

Jan Gerardus Batelaan

The invention relates to an optically non-linear active waveguiding material comprising an optically transparent polymer and a donor group and acceptor group-containing triphenylcarbinol as a dopant. Said dopants have a high hyperpolarizability and have a charge-transfer absorption band which is about the same as that of their corresponding compounds having only one donor-.pi.-acceptor unit. The triphenylcarbinols were found to display good solubility in polymers. Nitro-functionalized triphenylcarbinols are preferred because of their charge-transfer absorption band at a low wavelength (.lambda..sub.max at about 290 nm). Aldehyde-functionalized calix(4)arenes were also found to have this low wavelength charge-transfer absorption band (.lambda..sub.max at about 270 nm). Triphenyls comprising stilbene donor-.pi.-acceptor units are preferred because of their high hyperpolarizability.

Optically non-linear active waveguiding material comprising donor and

The invention relates to an optically non-linear active waveguiding material comprising an optically transparent polymer and a non-linear optical dopant comprising more than one donor-.pi.-acceptor unit. Dopants comprising more than one donor-.pi.-acceptor unit, especially dopants in which the donor-.pi.-acceptor units are positioned in a cyclic group, have a high hyperpolarizability and a charge-transfer absorption band wavelength which is about the same as that of dopants with only one donor-.pi.-acceptor unit. Especially suitable dopants for use are calix(4)arenes. These are provided with acceptor groups at the upper rim and with donor groups at the lower rim. In addition to having excellent hyperpolarizability, these compounds were found to be readily soluble in host polymers, such as polymethylene (meth) acrylate and polystyrene. Because of their charge-transfer absorption band at a low wavelength, optically non-linear active waveguiding structures containing such dopants are suitable for use as frequency doublers. The invention further relates to hitherto undisclosed calix(4)arenes functionalized with nitrostilbene groups, cyanostilbene groups, sulfor stilbene groups, sulfonate stilbene groups, azobenzenes or benzylidene aniline compounds.

Growing community of inventors

Enschede, Netherlands

Erik Kelderman