Polyurethanes containing boron chromophores as sidechains for nonlinear optics

An azo-dye containing dimesityl boron as the electron acceptor group is synthesized and incorporated as side chains in polyurethane matrices. These new polymers have been poled under an external electrical field by the corona technique. They exhibit high nonlinear response and a remarkable temporal stability. It appears that the poling time is a crucial parameter not only in terms of obtaining a good second harmonic response but also in the temporal stability.