Advances in Materials for Photonic Applications

Novel photoactive compounds, solutions, and nanocomposites have been studied.

Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio Aprogram of research has addressed multiple topics in the design, development, characterization, and utilization of new materials for photonic applications. These materials include compounds, solutions, and nanocomposites that exhibit diverse types of single- and multiple-photon activity. The accomplishments of this research can be grouped into four main categories and summarized as follows:

The Generic Molecular Structure depicted here represents three different species (A, B, C) of two-photon-absorbing nickel(II) chelated 1,10 phenanthroline-containing chromophores.

Accomplishments in this category include investigation of degenerate nonlinear absorption and optical-power-limiting properties of asymmetrically substituted stilbenoid chromophores; synthesis and characterization of novel two-photonabsorbing, 1,10-phenanthroline-containing, p-conjugated chromophores and nickel( II)-chelated complexes thereof (see figure) with quenched emissions; synthesis and characterization of two- and three-photon- absorbing novel fluorene-containing ferrocene derivatives; synthesis and testing of novel-conjugated dendritic nanosized chromophores with enhanced two- and three-photon absorption; and demonstration of limiting and stabilization of optical power by use of novel two-photon-absorbing liquid dye salt systems. The major advantage of using a neat liquid dye salt as the two-photon-absorbing medium is that the concentration of two-photon-absorbing chromophores is unusually high (of the order of 1 M) and it can withstand a relatively high-input laser power and energy.