Nonlinear Optical Polarizability Research Articles

Exploring the impact of heterocyclic bridges for tuning the amplitudes of Nonlinear optical properties under Gas, IEFPCM and COSMO solvent models

Nonlinear optical (NLO) materials are a distinctive class of materials due to their NLO response and wide range of applications. We present a systematic quantum chemical study for designing triphenylamine based derivatives (1Ph to 3PhDTDZ) by modifying central bridge with various size and types of heterocyclic rings. Density functional theory (DFT) method is used to calculate the NLO properties including linear and third-order NLO polarizabilities (α and γ) by using M06-2X functional coupled with the 6-311G** basis set. The calculation results predict that among the designed compounds, 1PhDTDZ has the highest third-order NLO polarizability of 2347.7 x 10−36 esu and lowest transition energy of 1.828 eV. On the other hand, 3PhDTDZ has a greater amplitude (108.5 x 10−24 esu) of static linear polarizability (αiso). We also computed frequency-dependent third-order NLO polarizability values at various laser wavelengths (1500 nm to 1970 nm). This provides valuable information about the complex interaction between light and matter. Dynamic second hyperpolarizability of electro-optic Pockels effect (EOPE effect, (γ (−ω; ω,0,0)) is calculated at 1500 nm laser wavelength with a larger γ-amplitude of 36708.4 x 10−36 esu. The effect of solvent on α and γ has also been the primary focus of this research. An extensive solvation impact has been studied using integral equation formalism Polarizable Continuum Model (IEFPCM) and Conductor-like Screening Model (COSMO). Magnitudes of αiso and 〈γ〉 have shown variation from gas to solvent methods. While among solvents, amplitudes are seen 3.87 % to 11.29 % greater under the effect of COSMO-methanol than PCM-methanol. The Frontier molecular orbital (FMO) studies found a significant decrease in energy band gaps from 5.75 eV to 2.98 eV. Since our systems exhibit remarkable photovoltaic properties, they can be used as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Their open circuit voltage (VOC) ranging from 1 eV to 4 eV. Thus, our designed triphenylamine based derivatives with distinct central heterocyclic bridges showcase remarkable efficiency as NLO materials, with additional benefits of exhibiting good photovoltaic properties.

Comprehensive investigation of 2-methylquinolinium-5-sulphosalicylate monohydrate: Synthesis, characterization, multifaceted analysis of molecular structure, optical, and nonlinear optical properties

We introduce the synthesis and characterization of a novel molecular salt crystal, 2-methylquinolinium-5-sulphosalicylate monohydrate (MQSSA), obtained through an equimolar reaction between donors (D) and acceptors (A) employing crystal engineering principles. The resulting proton transfer complex, MQSSA, crystallized into a monoclinic crystal system with space group P21/C, as revealed by SCXRD analysis. Significant peaks observed in PXRD analysis confirmed the crystallinity and purity of the material. FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopy were employed to analyze various functional groups present in the molecule. UV–Vis-NIR spectroscopy provided insights into absorbance transmittance, lower cutoff wavelength, and optical band gap, suggesting it's suitability for diverse optical applications, while characteristic emission was identified using PL measurements. Thermal stability was assessed via TG-DTA and TG-DSC techniques. Nonlinear absorption coefficient (β), nonlinear refractive index (n2), and third-order nonlinear susceptibility (χ3) were quantified using the Z-scan technique. Hirshfeld surface analysis and fingerprint plots were utilized to gain insight into intermolecular interactions and atomic arrangements within the MQSSA crystal, emphasizing the roles of crystal structure in H...H and O...H/H...O interactions. Additionally, quantum computational methods were employed to evaluate various molecular-level electronic characteristics, including molecular orbitals, molecular electrostatic potential maps, and first and second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) polarizability, providing insights into the molecular-level NLO response properties.

Quantum chemical framework for designing high-performance ladder-shape NLO molecules and study of implicit vs explicit solvent effects on their NLO properties

Researchers in materials science are greatly fascinated by helicene chemistry due to its excellent optical and structural properties. In this work, we introduced symmetrical substitution of donor and acceptor groups on the [7]helicene ([7]HC-1 to [7]HC-5). DFT analysis is used to explore nonlinear optical (NLO) response for designed compounds. For [7]HC-5, the linear isotropic (αiso) and anisotropic polarizability (αaniso) are 31.59 × 10−24 esu and 59.86 × 10−24 esu, respectively. [7]HC-5 has the highest average third-order NLO polarizability (<γ>) of 47.24 × 10−36 esu which is approximately six times greater than that of para-nitroaniline, a well-known prototype NLO molecule. The effect of implicit and explicit solvents on <γ> and αiso of three selected compounds ([7]HC-1, [7]HC-3, and [7]HC-5) is also evaluated. As compared to explicit and gas phase methods, PCM model predicts an overestimation by an increment of ∼ 4-5 times for selected compounds. TD-DFT calculations show a higher transition dipole moment (4.24) and a lower transition energy (3.414 eV) for [7]HC-5. The higher NLO response is explained based on frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), electron density difference (EDD), and molecular electrostatic potentials (MEPs). There is a red shift for studied compounds based on UV-visible results. The C-N stretching at 1372 cm-1 for [7]HC-5 indicates the presence of -N(CH3)2. Additionally, we studied photovoltaic parameters and found that [7]HC-5 has the maximum open circuit voltage and the lowest dye regeneration of 2.71 eV and 0.06 eV, respectively.

Structural, spectral analysis, reactivity, topological and pharmacological investigations on an antihistamine agent

In this work, quantum computational techniques have been applied to the title compound (Methyl [2-(pyridin-3-yl) ethyl] amine) for insights into structural, vibrational, and electronic spectral features and chemical reactivity. The observed vibrational spectra in solid-phase have been compared with the theoretical one (DFT together with B3LYP /6–311++G (d, p). For the understanding of intra-molecular hyper conjugative interactions, a natural bond orbital (NBO) study was carried out. Nonlinear optical (polarizabilities) calculations have been performed. The molecule's bioactivity is confirmed by the frontier molecular orbital energy gap, and information regarding intra- and inter-non-covalent interactions is provided by non-covalent bond interaction (NCI) analysis. Molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) can identify a molecule's electrophilic and nucleophilic areas, and it can explain a molecule's chemical implications using electron localization function (ELF). The compound's reactive sites were examined using the Fukui function computations, and the molecule's reactivity is defined by its chemical descriptors. The bioactivity of a molecule is supported by molecular docking using the Histamine 1 receptors 3RZE and 7DFL protein, and drug likeness factors were computed to understand the biological properties of MP3EA.

Designing the electron push-pull chromophores through the joining of triphenylamine and triphenylborane for efficient nonlinear optical and photovoltaic properties

The benzoxadiazole class of organic compounds demonstrates exceptional versatility, particularly in the realm of nonlinear optical (NLO) materials, where their unique properties find impactful applications. In the present study, we have focused on systematically designed six benzoxadiazole (BDZ) derivatives named as BDZ-1 to BDZ-6 by using 2,3,1-benzoxadiazole as a central core/π-spacer between the donor and acceptor. Triphenylamine and triphenylborane are used as donor and acceptor in all derivatives with addition of nitro and methoxy group as substitutions. B3LYP/6-311G* method of density functional theory (DFT) is employed for optimization of purposed systems while M06/6-311G* is used to check the NLO properties. The isotropic polarizability (αiso) and anisotropic polarizability (αaniso) of BDZ-6, were found to be 110.1 × 10−24 esu and 106.3 × 10−24 esu, respectively. Among our designed compounds, the BDZ-6 exhibits the highest third-order NLO polarizability, which was found to be 5954.8 × 10−36 esu corresponding to lowest transition energy of 2.00 eV. Additionally, frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), molecular electrostatic potential maps (MEPs), electron difference density maps (EDD) and UV–Vis analysis were performed. BDZ-6 shows minimum energy gap of 2.24 eV, while it shows maximum absorption at 620 nm. The density of states (DOS) analysis reveals distinct electronic contributions of various fragments in the formation of HOMO and LUMO orbitals resulting in efficient intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). Photovoltaic findings revealed that BDZ-4 have maximum open circuit voltage of 1.70 eV with minimum dye regeneration value (0.30 eV). Our findings shed light on the design and development of novel NLO materials with BDZ derivatives.

Tailoring the donor moieties in TPA‐based organic dyes for efficient photovoltaic, optical and nonlinear optical response properties

AbstractThe current study reports tailoring the electronic donor structures of organic dyes to modify their optical and nonlinear optical (NLO) response properties. Five (5) tri‐phenyl amine (TPA) based Donor‐π‐Acceptor (D‐π‐A) organic dyes with the codes ICAA1, ICAA2, ICAA3, ICAA4, and ICAA5 were designed and investigated for their optical and NLO properties using quantum chemical methods. Optical and NLO properties of these dyes were studied by CAM‐B3LYP method and 6‐311G* basis set. The focus has been on the impact of adding secondary donors and shifting their substitutions at ortho (o), meta (m) and para (p) positions. Among all designed compounds, ICAA4 showed the highest amplitude of average third‐order NLO polarizability &lt;γ&gt;, which is calculated to be 1316 × 10−36 esu. Time‐dependent Density Functional Theory (TD‐DFT) method was used to determine how a change in the position of the donor affected the excitation energy (Eg) and NLO response properties. The findings showed that changing the position of the secondary donor results in a red shift among absorption spectra as well as the increase in their NLO responses. Complete process of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) has been investigated in terms of different optical parameters such as frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), molecular electrostatic potentials (MEPs), transition density matrix (TDMs), density of states (DOS), electron density difference (EDD), and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Our calculations for study of ICT process indicate that p‐position of methoxy group performs better among all other positions and even it has better NLO response properties than the compound with three collective methoxy groups. The calculated Voc values of all designed molecules range from 1.09 to 1.30, all of them are positive while their ΔGinject is found to be in the range of −0.87 to −1.79 eV indicating their decent potential for photovoltaic applications. The studied optical, NLO and photovoltaic parameters illustrated that ICAA1 to ICAA5 are appropriate molecules not only for NLO applications but also for efficient photovoltaic purposes.

Attosecond electron microscopy by free-electron homodyne detection

Time-resolved electron microscopy aims to track nanoscale excitations and dynamic states of matter at a temporal resolution ultimately reaching the attosecond regime. Periodically time-varying fields in an illuminated specimen cause free-electron inelastic scattering, which enables the spectroscopic imaging of near-field intensities. However, access to the evolution of nanoscale fields and structures within the cycle of light requires sensitivity to the optical phase. Here we introduce free-electron homodyne detection as a universally applicable approach to electron microscopy of phase-resolved optical responses at high spatiotemporal resolution. In this scheme, a phase-controlled reference interaction serves as the local oscillator to extract arbitrary sample-induced modulations of a free-electron wavefunction. We demonstrate this principle through the phase-resolved imaging of plasmonic fields with few-nanometre spatial and sub-cycle temporal resolutions. Due to its sensitivity to both phase- and amplitude-modulated electron beams, free-electron homodyne detection measurements will be able to detect and amplify weak signals stemming from a wide variety of microscopic origins, including linear and nonlinear optical polarizations, atomic and molecular resonances, and attosecond-modulated structure factors.

Interband second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility of asymmetric coupled quantum wells

Asymmetric molecular bonds possess a microscopic second-order nonlinear optical polarizability p(2). Crystals built from them possess a macroscopic second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility, χ(2), if their structure lacks centrosymmetry. χ(2) can be enhanced by introducing additional asymmetry at the meta-structural level. Here, we use a dipole matrix formalism to calculate χ(2) of asymmetric GaAs/AlGaAs coupled quantum well structures at telecommunication frequencies, for which interband (rather than previously considered intersubband) optical transitions govern optical nonlinearities. Using unit cell and envelope wavefunctions and considering all possible transitions between two bound electron and two bound hole states, we predict tenfold enhancement in χ(2) in previously underexplored ranges of quantum well asymmetry and coupling barrier thickness. This work paves the way toward enhanced, tailorable second-order optical nonlinearities for semiconductor digital alloy and superlattice structures.

Mapping Light-Dressed Floquet Bands by Highly Nonlinear Optical Excitations and Valley Polarization.

Ultrafast nonlinear optical phenomena in solids have been attracting a great deal of interest as novel methodologies for the femtosecond spectroscopy of electron dynamics and control of the properties of materials. Here, we theoretically investigate strong-field nonlinear optical transitions in a prototypical two-dimensional material, hBN, and show that the k-resolved conduction band charge occupation patterns induced by an elliptically polarized laser can be understood in a multiphoton resonant picture, but, remarkably, only if using the Floquet light-dressed states instead of the undressed matter states. Our work demonstrates that Floquet dressing affects ultrafast charge dynamics and photoexcitation even from a single pump pulse and establishes a direct measurable signature for band dressing in nonlinear optical processes in solids, opening new paths for ultrafast spectroscopy and valley manipulation.

Optical characterizations of lightly doped (PbS)1−x Znx thin films influenced by film thickness and annealing temperature for applications in highly intensive radiation systems

The lightly Zn-doped (PbS)1−x (Zn)x thin films were synthesized by the thermal deposition technique. The structure, morphology, and elemental analyses were carried out by XRD, SEM, and EDS, respectively, and characterised by UV–VIS–NIR spectroscopy. The optical absorption, transmission, and reflection have been studied and analysed. The linear and non-linear parameters have been determined, explained, and compared with the reported results. The effects of Zn-doping, film thickness, and annealing temperature on NLO-parameters have been considered. The better 2.78 × 10–10 and 2.93 × 10–10 esu values of the non-linear refractive index n2 and 3rd-order optical polarizability χ(3), respectively, were attained by (PbS)0.97 (Zn)0.03 film of 150 nm thick annealed at 200 °C.

Synthesis, physico-chemical characterization and quantum chemical studies of 2, 3-dimethyl quinoxalinium-5-sulphosalicylate crystal

2,3-dimethylquinoxalinum-5-sulphosalicylate (MQSA) was synthesized and grown into single crystals by slowly evaporating the solvent in methanol at room temperature. According to the lattice parameters found by the SCXRD analysis method (a = 8.8031 (17) Å, b = 17.768(3) Å, c = 10.7979(16) and α = γ = 90°, β = 90.611 (7) °), the crystal belongs to monoclinic crystal system with the P21/n space group. Moreover, powder X-ray diffraction investigation supported the crystalline nature. The compound's UV–Vis spectra exhibited a CT-band with a wavelength maximum of 372 nm, as well as its NIR spectra revealed good optical transmittance in the visible region with a low cut-off wavelength of 376 nm and an optical band gap of 5.12 eV. Dual emission bands at 418 and 484 nm are observed in the PL emission spectra. The synthesized crystal was examined using FT-IR, FT-Raman, and NMR spectral methods. The crystal is thermally stable up to 274 °C, furthermore, TG-DTA and DSC methods were employed to study the degradation process. The second and third-order NLO efficiencies of the crystal was analyzed by Kurtz-Perry powder and Z-scan methods, respectively. The single crystal of MQSA is further studied through Hirshfeld surface analysis, fingerprint plots, and crystal voids analysis to understand the intermoleculiar interactions and individual atomic arrangements inside the crystal. The H…H and O…H/H…O interactions are greatly aided by crystal structure. Additionally, the quantum computational methods were used to assess several molecular level electronic properties, including molecular orbitals, molecular electrostatic potentials maps, linear polarizability and static third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) polarizability, which is a molecular-level NLO response property. The isotropic linear polarizability and NLO polarizability of MQSA are 29.99 × 10−24 esu and 28.45 × 10−36 esu, respectively, in the M06–2X/6–311G* method, which demonstrates the decent potential of the synthesized crystal for its use as NLO materials. Furthermore, the frontier molecular orbitals, molecular electrostatic potentials, and UV–Visible spectrum were calculated and discussed.

Acid catalyzed one-pot approach towards the synthesis of curcuminoid systems: unsymmetrical diarylidene cycloalkanones, exploration of their single crystals, optical and nonlinear optical properties.

In the present study crystalline unsymmetrical diarylidene ketone derivatives BNTP and BDBC have been prepared by two sequential acid catalyzed aldol condensation reactions in a one pot manner. The crystal structures of both compounds were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis which revealed the presence of H-bonding interactions of type C-H⋯O, along with weak C-H⋯π and weak π⋯π stacking interactions that are involved in the crystal stabilization of both organic compounds. Hirshfeld surface analysis is carried out for the broad investigation of the intermolecular interactions in both compounds. The quantum chemical investigation was performed on the optimized molecular geometries of BNTP and BDBC to calculate optical and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. The density functional theory (DFT) study showed that the third-order NLO polarizabilities of compounds BNTP and BDBC are found to be 226.45 × 10-36 esu and 238.72 × 10-36 esu, respectively, which indicates noticeable good NLO response properties. Additionally, the BNTP and BDBC molecules also showed the HOMO-LUMO orbital gaps of 5.96 eV and 6.06 eV, respectively. Furthermore, the computation of UV-visible spectra of the titled compounds indicated a limited and/or no absorption above the 400 nm region, directing a good transparency and NLO property trade-off for both synthesized compounds that may play a significant contribution in the future for optoelectronic technologies.

Synthesis, Characterization, Crystal Structure and Computational Study of Third‐Order NLO Properties of Schiff bases

AbstractThe current study involves the synthesis of two azomethine compounds, (E)‐2‐((6‐nitrobenzo[d][1,3]dioxol‐5‐yl)methylene)amino)phenol (2AP6NO) and (E)‐2‐((4‐ethylbenzylidene)amino)phenol (2AP4ETH), as well as their theoretical investigations. The synthesized azomethine compounds were then characterized by combustion analysis (CHN), FT‐IR, NMR (1H and 13C), and single crystal X‐ray diffraction (SC‐XRD) analysis. The SC‐XRD study confirmed the enol tautomeric form of 2AP6NO as well as 2AP4ETH. The strong and comparatively weak intermolecular interactions were elaborated by Hirshfeld surface analysis. For both compounds, intermolecular interaction energies between the pair of molecules, energy framework, and void analysis were calculated to visualize the three‐dimensional topology of the crystal packing. Additionally, quantum chemical computations were also utilized to study the optical and nonlinear optical (NLO) response. The molecular geometries were optimized at the M06‐2X/6‐311G* method and equated to their respective experimental counterparts. The third‐order NLO polarizabilities were also calculated at the same level of theory. The calculated average third‐order NLO polarizabilities were 62.55×10−36 esu and 55.08×10−36 esu, respectively, predicting the modest behavior of the above compounds when displaying NLO properties.

Rigorous solution to second harmonic generation considering transmission and reflection of light at air–crystal interface

Considering the transmission and reflection of TE-polarized pump light at the air–crystal interface, the second harmonic generation (SHG) in a lithium niobate (LN) crystal is investigated theoretically and systematically in this work. In previous studies, the theoretical analyses of reflection and transmission of incident wave in the process of nonlinear frequency conversion were not considered in LN crystal on account of the complicated calculations. First, we establish a physical picture describing that a beam of light in TE mode transports in the LN crystal considering transmission and reflection at the crystal surface and generates nonlinear second-order optical polarization in crystal. Then we analytically derive the reflection coefficient and transmission coefficient of pump light by using the dispersion relationships and electromagnetic boundary conditions. We construct the nonlinear coupled wave equations, derive and present the small signal approximation solution and the general large signal solution exactly. Under the transmission model and reflection model, we find that the conversion efficiency of the second-harmonic wave is obviously dependent on transmission coefficient and other general physical quantities such as the length of LN crystal and the amplitude of pump light. Our analytical theory and formulation can act as an accurate tool for the quantitative evaluation of the SHG energy conversion efficiency in an LN crystal under practical situations, and it can practically be used to treat other more complicated and general nonlinear optics problems.

Synthesis, crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis, DNA binding, optical and nonlinear optical properties of Schiff bases derived from o-aminophenol

The current work focuses on the synthesis of the two new Schiff base ligands derived from o-aminophenol named 2-[(E)-(3-chlorophenyl)methylidene]amino-phenol (2AP3Cl) and 4-Chloro-2-(E)-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)iminio]methyl-phenolate (2AP5Cl). The synthesized Schiff bases were characterized by different Spectro analytical techniques like CHN, FT-IR, and NMR (1H and 13C) analysis. Moreover, a single crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) study was carried out for both compounds, which inferred that 2AP3Cl and 2AP5Cl adopted enol and keto tautomeric forms, respectively. The supramolecular assembly with respect to strong and comparatively weak non-covalent interactions was explored by Hirshfeld surface analysis. The interaction energy between molecular pairs, energy frameworks, and void analysis was performed to further investigate the crystal packing environment. Both compounds were screened for their DNA binding abilities. Moreover, quantum chemical methods were applied to study the electronic structure, linear and nonlinear optical (NLO) polarizabilities of the synthesized Schiff bases. The 2AP3Cl and 2AP5Cl molecules exhibited good NLO hyperpolarizability of 9.62 × 104 and 7.90 × 104 au., respectively. The calculation of molecular electrostatic potentials, 3-D visualization of frontier molecular orbitals, and their orbital gaps were also studied. Overall, reasonably good third-order NLO response properties were calculated, which show a decent potential of synthesized compounds for their potential for NLO applications.

Mid-infrared nonlinear optical heptachlorodigallate AGa2Cl7 (A = Ga+, In+) with a unique second harmonic generation mechanism induced by monovalent cations

Nonlinear optical (NLO) anionic group theory holds that the anionic group mainly determines the NLO effect of the materials. The same anionic group basically has similar NLO properties even in different systems, so it is regarded as the “gene” of NLO materials. Isolated monovalent Ga+/In+ cations in the existing AGa2Cl7 (A = Ga+, In+) system carry lone-pair-electronic nonbonding orbitals, which are free between the energy bands near the gap and are not substantially hybridized with the orbitals of anionic [Ga2Cl7]– dimer. Surprisingly, this kind of band structure can significantly enhance the NLO polarizability of both Ga+/In+ cations and [Ga2Cl7]– anionic groups, differing from conventional mechanism of the anionic group theory. First-principles calculations demonstrate that AGa2Cl7 (A = Ga+, In+) indeed exhibits greatly enhanced second harmonic generation (SHG) responses over the analogous KGa2Cl7. The underlying contribution to this unusual enhancement stems not only from the anisotropic distribution of photo-responsive nonbonding electron pairs on Ga+/In+, but also from the synergistic charge transfer effect between cations and anionic groups. Due to the anisotropic induction of Ga+/In+, the same [Ga2Cl7]– anionic group exhibits significantly different SHG effects in different AGa2Cl7 (A = K, Ga, In) systems. This phenomenon is rare and satisfies a unique SHG mechanism, providing insights into NLO crystal physics and novel structural design. Importantly, except for enhanced SHG effects, monovalent Ga+/In+ cations can induce enlarged birefringence, larger than regular tetrahedra-based halides and more conducive to the phase matching. Furthermore, given wide optical transparency and better thermal properties as compared with the infrared NLO benchmark material AgGaS2, the unique AGa2Cl7 (A = Ga+, In+) are predicted as potential mid-infrared NLO materials.

Insights into solvent effects on molecular properties, physicochemical parameters, and NLO behavior of brinzolamide, a bioactive sulfonamide: A computational study

In this study, quantum chemical calculations performed on brinzolamide (BZ), a sulfonamide derivative widely used as an antibacterial and antifungal drug, are presented. The molecular geometry optimizations of BZ were calculated by using both B3LYP functional and HF method with the 6-31G (d, p) basis set via Gaussian software. Since solvent phase behaviors are extremely important especially for drug molecules, calculations were renewed for BZ in ten different solvent environments. Universal solvation model SMD (Solvent Model based on Density) was utilized for solvent phase simulations. Mulliken and natural atomic charges, frontier molecular orbital (FMO) energies, quantum chemical descriptors were studied in detail according to solvent and method variation. In addition, the partition coefficient (logPow) value, which is an important parameter for the activity of the drug candidates, was theoretically estimated according to the relevant formula through the computed values for the water and 1-octanol phases for each methodology. The slightly lipophilic character of the BZ molecule was supported by the obtained values and the molecular lipophilicity potential map prepared by means of Molinspiration Galaxy 3D Structure Generator v2018.01 beta program. In the nonlinear optical (NLO) property analysis, dipole moment (μtot), mean polarizability (αtot), anisotropic polarizability (Δα), and mean first-order hyperpolarizability (βtot) values of BZ and the solvent effect on these values have been reported. Last, the interaction energies between donor and acceptor orbitals were calculated by the analysis of natural bond orbitals, and the obtained results were summarized.

Connecting two intrinsic electron donor and acceptor moieties through distinctive π-bridging units to explore their optical and nonlinear optical properties

Boraphenalene and pyrido(2,1,6-de)quinolizine moieties are intrinsically electron acceptor and donor groups, owing to their electron deficient and electron rich characteristics, respectively. In the current study, quantum computations are executed for investigating the charge transfer character and nonlinear optical (NLO) response for various combinations of boraphenalene and pyrido(2,1,6-de)quinolizine derivatives. The effect of various π-conjugated connectors i.e. direct ring attachment (1AB), ethylene (2AB), acetylene (3AB) and phenylene (4AB) units on optical and NLO properties were studied. Density functional theory (DFT) techniques are employed for computing the responses properties for designed compounds (A, B, 1AB, 2AB, 3AB and 4AB). From the studied compounds, 4AB exhibits the leading average second-order NLO polarizability of 954.8 × 10-30 esu, which was about 148 times greater than para-Nitroaniline (p-NA) molecule (a typical push-pull NLO molecule). The source of greater values of hyperpolarizability is tracked through TD-DFT computations where electronic transitions having better oscillator strengths along with lower transition energies are seen more contributing in hyperpolarizability. Additionally, the assessment of electrostatic potentials (ESPs), density of states (DOS), frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) and transition density matrix (TDM) diagrams provide a molecular-level insight into the structures and their relationship to NLO properties of designed derivatives. Hence, the current investigation would arouse the curiosity of other scientists in the field for such different and novel strategy for designing NLO materials.

A Quantum Chemical Study of Outstanding Structural, Electronic and Nonlinear Optical Polarizability of Boron Nitride (B12N12) Doped with Super Salt (P7BaNO3)

A Quantum Chemical Study of Outstanding Structural, Electronic and Nonlinear Optical Polarizability of Boron Nitride (B12N12) Doped with Super Salt (P7BaNO3)

Symmetric vs. asymmetric: Which one is the better molecular configuration for achieving robust NLO response?

The current study reports a comparative investigation for the nonlinear optical (NLO) response for some symmetric and asymmetric molecular configurations. The designed compounds are featuring a similar 2,7-bis(phenyl ethynyl)cyclopentaaceanthrylene core connected to different terminal donor and acceptor moieties such as dimethylamine, methoxy, nitro and ethene-tricarbonitrile groups based on three topologies, “D-π-D” (1–2), “A-π-A” (3–4) and “D-π-A” (5–8). A comparative analysis of these symmetrically and asymmetrically substituted chromophores is done to investigate the effect of different terminal groups on their NLO response, optical and charge transfer properties. The asymmetric compounds display larger first hyperpolarizability amplitudes (β//) than those of the symmetric compounds where a β// amplitude as large as 1851 × 10−30 esu is calculated for asymmetric compound 6. Interestingly, the average second hyperpolarizabilities (γ) for symmetric compound 4 have been calculated to be 16, 096 × 10−36 esu and for asymmetric counterpart compound 6 it is found to be 23, 162 × 10−36 esu using M06/6-311G* methodology. Our findings were also inline with experimental observations of Mathews et al. (Mathews, S.J., et al., 2007. Optics Communications, 280, 206–212), where they also experimentally determined the larger third-order susiptibility for asymmetric phthalocyanine (Pc3) than their symmetric counterparts. Additionally, the NLO polarizabilities of all the compounds have also been compared with a typical donor-acceptor molecule of p-NA to specify the comparison of designed compounds. TD-DFT studies have shown that the higher β and γ values were found for asymmetric compounds owing to their lower transition energies and larger trasition dipole moments. The depiction of molecular orbitals and electrostatic potentials have shown more efficient intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) for asymmetric compounds leading to the robust NLO response. Thus, a systematic comparison of the NLO polarizabilities and other electronic properties of our designed symmetric and asymmetric compounds shows that symmetry based designing of NLO compounds are very crucial to get robust NLO response properties.