Electro-optics poled sol-gel materials doped with heterocycle push-pull chromophores

Hybrid organic-inorganic materials doped with zwitterionic push-pull chromophores with high hyperpolarizability have been synthesized via sol-gel, based on glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane (GDMMS). Homogeneous films doped with chromophores, have been obtained using N-hydroxyethylcarbazole as a physical spacer avoiding dye aggregation. Spin-coated doped films have been electrically poled in N2 atmosphere and second harmonic generation measurements have been performed in situ to confirm the nonlinear (NL) properties achieved after poling. The waveguiding properties of the films have been preliminarly measured by m-line spectroscopy before and after poling and the feasibility of channel waveguiding structures explored.