ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the approaches in the optimization of molecular and material nonlinear optical and thermal properties. Organic polymeric electro-optic (E-O) materials have attracted significant attention because of their potential use as fast and efficient components of integrated photonic devices. The factors that affect the material thermal stability are the inherent thermal stability of the nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores, the chemical stability of the NLO chromophores during polymer processing, and the long-term dipolar alignment stability at high temperatures. Although considerable progress has been made in achieving these properties, organic polymeric materials suitable for practical E-O device applications are yet to be developed. To overcome these deficiencies associated with the tricyanovinyl group, 2 was further modified by replacing the most reactive CN in the tricyanovinyl group with aryl groups. The new molecular systems and their properties presented in this chapter provide insights into the many practical issues relevant to the material development.
