Handbook of Organic Materials for Optical and (Opto)Electronic Devices

5

Small molecule supramolecular assemblies for third-order nonlinear optics

I. Biaggio,     Lehigh University, USA

Abstract

This chapter discusses organic molecules for third-order nonlinear optics - responsible for effects such as self- and cross-phase modulation, and all-optical switching - and the issues related to using such molecules to create a solid-state material. The chapter will review the figures of merit that help determine the potential of a small molecule, and discuss the problem of obtaining a bulk material with a large third-order nonlinearity that at the same time possesses a high optical quality compatible with photonic applications. As a concluding example, the chapter will end with a review of recent progress in optimizing ...