Nonlinear optics and surface relief gratings in alkynyl–ruthenium complexes

Abstract

Generally, the organometallic complexes rich in carbon and containing π-conjugated chains are materials interesting for the study of electronic transfer processes. Currently, the ruthenium–acetylide organometallic complexes form part of the most studied organometallic compounds in nonlinear optics. In this work, we highlight the nonlinear optical properties and the photo-induced structure of new organometallic complexes containing a ruthenium–acetylide donor fragment able to compete with the strongest organic donors. We determine, using various experimental techniques (degenerate four-wave mixing, second and third harmonic generation), the influence of the functionalization of these molecular structures on the improvement of their second-and third-order nonlinear optical properties exploiting in particular the nature of the acceptor fragment and the π-conjugated transmitter. Also we present the dynamics of formation of photo-induced surface relief gratings using a transmission holographic technique and the atomic force microscopy on ruthenium–acetylide complexes containing an azobenzene fragment.