Second-order nonlinear optical polymers based on benzoxazole chromophores

Abstract

We describe the novel nonlinear optical (NLO) polymers based on benzoxazole chromophores which exhibited excellent thermal stability and large hyperpolarizability. A series of benzoxazole chromophores having different electron accepting group was synthesized. We investigated second-order NLO properties with four polymer back-bones containing these benzoxazole-based NLO chromophores, which were methylmethacrylate copolymers, polyurethanes, maleimide copolymers, and polyimides.