Highly stable and efficient nonlinear optical chromophores for electro-optic polymers
View Patent ↗In various embodiments, chromophores are described that include novel electron acceptors, novel electron donors, and/or novel conjugated bridges that are useful in nonlinear optical applications. In some embodiments, the present invention provides chromophore architectures wherein a chromophore contains more than one electron acceptor in electronic communication with a single electron donor, and/or more than one electron donor in electronic communication with a single electron acceptor. Also described is processes for providing materials comprising the novel chromophores and polymer matrices containing the novel chromophores. Electro-optic devices described herein contain one or more of the described electron acceptors, electron donors, conjugated bridges, or chromophores.
1. A chromophore of the structure
wherein, independently at each occurrence,
D is an electron donating group having low electron affinity relative to the electron affinity of
π is absent or a bridge that provides electronic conjugation between D and the double bond adjacent to π; and
R is alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl or heteroaryl.
2. The chromophore of claim 1 having the structure
wherein R is alkyl, heteroalkyl or heteroaryl and R 1 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl or heteroaryl.
3. The chromophore of claim 1 having the structure
wherein R is alkyl, heteroalkyl or heteroaryl and R 1 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl or heteroaryl.
4. A composition of matter comprising
E—L n
wherein E is the chromophore of claim 1 ; L comprises a chemically reactive group that is crosslinkable; and n=1-24.
5. The composition of matter of claim 4 , wherein L includes a thermally crosslinkable trifluorovinylether group; at least one of D, π, or A of the chromophore is covalently bound to a polymer; and D, π, or A is further substituted with L, halogen, alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl or heteroaryl.
6. A composition of matter comprising the chromophore of claim 1 non-covalently incorporated into a crosslinkable polymer matrix.