Chiral polymer compositions exhibiting nonlinear optical properties

US6288206A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Molecular OptoElectronics Corp. · US

Inventors

• Kevin R. Stewart · Schenectady, US
• Janet L. Gordon · Clifton Park, US
• Kwok Pong Chan · Troy, US
• David Gilles Gascoyne · Schenectady, US
• Feng Pan · Kunshan, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 2, 1999
• Grant date: Sep 11, 2001
• Expiry date: Nov 2, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C08G2650/64
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Chiral organic polymers doped with or appended by nonlinear optical dyes are disclosed. The use of chiral polymers produces a more stable noncentrosymmetric environment for the dye molecules resulting in unexpectedly long relaxation times as compared with previously used organic polymers. In addition, the NLO/chiral polymer materials exhibit high electro-optical coefficients (r.sub.33), high nonlinear optical coefficients (d.sub.33), improved long-term thermal stability, and at the same time retain the processing advantages associated with organic polymers. Thus, the present NLO/chiral polymer materials are extremely well-suited for use in second-order nonlinear optical and optoelectronics devices.