NOVEL PHOTOCROSSLINKABLE SYSTEMS FOR NONLINEAR OPTICS

The development of electrooptic devices exploiting second harmonic generation in thin polymer films is hindered by the low stability of the dipole orientation of the chromophore in the surrounding matrix. New polymers (see figure) containing cinnamic acid derivatives as potential network-forming units, in combination with new synthetic dyes as nonlinear optical active moieties are presented. The crosslinking leads to higher stability in the films.