Synthesis of nonlinear optical fluorinated polyimide/inorganic composites for photonic devices

A nonlinear optical (NLO) active alkoxysilane chromophore (SGDR1) was synthesized. A fluorinated polyimide/SGDR1 composite was prepared to improve the poor temporal stability of second-order NLO effects of the reported poled sol-gel film. The poled composite film was characterized by FTIR, DSC, TGA and UV-Vis. The composite displays good hydrophobic properties, high glass transition temperature (266 °C), and high decomposition temperature (433 °C). The second harmonic coefficient d33 of the composite was measured to be 16.77 pm/V by using maker fringe technique. The new NLO composite exhibits 85 % of the original d33 over 720 h at 100 °C and possesses much better stability than the reported sol-gel film.