Synthesis and two-photon absorption property of a series of metal–salen compounds containing a variety of thiophene moieties

• A series of metal-Salen complexes with a variety of thiophene moiety are designed and synthesized.
• The two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-sections of the complexes reach up to 2200 GM.
• The 2PA cross-section increases when the conjugation length and the donating strength increase.

A series of metal–salen coordination compounds (where M is Cu2 + or Ni2 +, and the salen ligands contain various thiophene moieties) have been designed, synthesized and characterized. Both one-photon and two-photon absorption (2PA) properties have been investigated. Non-degenerate 2PA (ND-2PA) and open-aperture Z-scan measurements indicate that several of the complexes exhibit 2PA in the wavelength range of 600–700 nm with sizable 2PA cross-sections (σ2PA) of 900–2200 GM.

The 2PA properties of the complexes gradually increase when the number of the thiophene moieties increases due to the extension of both the conjugation length and the donating strength.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide