Synthesis and characterization of new disperse-red functionalized polyimide for use as nonlinear optical material

Abstract

A new thermally-stable second-order nonlinear optical polyimide with side-chain second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophore was synthesized. First a diamine functionalized azo chromophore (9) was synthesized and then polymerized by reaction with 4,4′-hexafluro isopropylidene-diphthalic anhydride. The synthesized polymer had a glass transition temperature of 215°C. The corona poling process of the NLO-substituted polyimide was also studied in detail by measuring the second harmonic generation (SHG) from the polymer films. The second harmonic measurement indicate long-term stability of the dipole orientation (>500 h at 150°C) for this polyimide. © 2012 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden.