New paradigm for ultrahigh electro-optic activity: Through supramolecular self-assembly and novel lattice hardening

Tae Dong Kim, Zhengwei Shi, Jingdong Luo, Sei Hum Jang, Yen-Ju Cheng, Xinghua Zhou, Su Huang, Larry R. Dalton, Warren Herman, Alex K.Y. Jen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

A major breakthrough in the area of organic electro-optic (EO) materials has been recently achieved. To go beyond the oriented gas model limit for organic EO materials, new approaches of using nanoscale architecture control and supramolecular self-assembly have been proved as a very effective method to create a new paradigm for materials with very exciting properties. High-performance EO polymers were demonstrated by a facile and reliable Diels-Alder "click" reaction for postfunctionalization and lattice hardening to improve EO activity and thermal stability. This type of "click" chemistry paves the way to systematically study the relationship among EO activity, chromophore shape, and number density of the chromophores. Reversible supramolecular interactions were also introduced to a new generation of EO dendrimers and polymers to create self-assembled nano-objects, overcome strong intermolecular electrostatic interaction, and improve their poling efficiency and stability. These self-organized EO materials were used as hosts in a binary chromophore system to further improve chromophore number density and r33 value. With these novel approaches, we succeeded in enlarging the full potential of organic NLO materials by a factor of 3-5 and developing a variety of nano-structured organic EO materials with ultrahigh r33 values (>300 pm/V at the wavelengths of 1310 and 1550 nm, more than 10 times that of LiNbO3) and excellent auxiliary property, such as thermal stability and optical transparency. The success of these material developments has inspired the exploration of new device concepts to take full advantage of organic EO materials with ultrahigh r33 values.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationOrganic Photonic Materials and Devices IX
DOIs
StatePublished - 30 Apr 2007
EventOrganic Photonic Materials and Devices IX - San Jose, CA, United States
Duration: 21 Jan 200724 Jan 2007

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume6470
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

ConferenceOrganic Photonic Materials and Devices IX
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Jose, CA
Period21/01/0724/01/07

Keywords

  • Binary chromophore
  • Diels-Alder "click" reaction
  • EO activity
  • Lattice hardening
  • Organic EO materials
  • Supramolecular self-assembly

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