Organic–inorganic hybrid materials for non-linear optics

Sol–gel derived hybrid organic–inorganic materials present several advantages to the design of materials for optical applications: they have versatile and relatively facile chemistry; are easy to shape and pattern, and they have good mechanical and excellent optical properties. Their nanocomposite structure gives opportunities to fine tune the optical response and to prepare many different types of photonic material having engineered linear and non-linear optical properties. Particular attention has been paid to hybrid materials for non-linear optics in optoelectronics applications. In this article we review some of the main advances in the application of sol–gel hybrid organic–inorganic materials to the field of non-linear optics.