Synthesis and optical properties of a series of chromophore functionalized polysilanes

Abstract

Four polysilanes (3a–d) with high chromophore content have been successfully synthesized by etherification between silylchloride containing polysilane precursors and hydroxy-ended chromophores. Their structures were confirmed by ¹H NMR, FT-IR and microanalysis. Thermal analysis by DSC and TGA reveals that they are amorphous polymers with high thermal stability. The nonlinear optical (NLO) activities (d₃₃) of thin films were evaluated by insitu SHG to be about 10 pm V⁻¹. The photoconductivity of 3d was measured to be 1.7 pS cm⁻¹ when a 20 V µm⁻¹ applied electric field and a 1.0 W cm⁻² irradiation energy were used, which is three orders of magnitude higher than its dark conductivity.