Chapter 3 - Design and characterization of organic and organometallic molecules for second order nonlinear optics

Abstract

This chapter focuses on how to design, characterize, and optimize the first hyperpolarizability β of organic and organometallic molecules for nonlinear optics (NLO) applications. The chapter also presents NLO effects and examines the relation between molecular and macroscopic NLO properties. The theoretical methods which have been employed to calculate these properties are discussed. The chapter presents a description of methods for the experimental determination of molecular second-order (SO) NLO parameters with emphasis on the recently widely used hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) technique. The different types of compounds which have been synthesized and characterized for SO NLO are discussed for organic and organometallic molecules, respectively, up to the recent developments in this field. A number of criteria which these compounds have to meet for applications and some materials aspects are also considered in the chapter.