An oligo(3-alkylthiophene) containing material showing high photorefractivity

A multifunctional photorefractive material was designed and synthesized by incorporation of an oligo(3-alkylthiophene) moiety with a nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophore. The conjugated oligo(3-alkylthiophene) segment played a dual role of the photocharge generator and the charge transporter. Large net optical gain coefficient and diffraction efficiency, as well as a fast response time, were achieved in this small molecule system. The photorefractive performance of this molecule showed a strong dependence on the applied electric field due to the orientational enhancement effect as well as the linear electro-optic effect. These properties make it an attractive material candidate for molecular optical devices.