Fabrication of nonlinear optical films based on methacrylate/silica hybrid matrix

A free-radical polymerization was performed to fabricate nonlinear optical (NLO) hybrid films based on nanostructural building blocks and an interpenetrating methacrylate/silica hybrid matrix (IHM). A bulky chromophore (disperse orange 3) bonded with ally glycidyl ether (AGE) was incorporated into the hybrid matrix in combination with (γ-methacrylpropyl)-silsesquioxane through the polymerization. Different amounts of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane as modifiers were added into the IHM to enhance properties. It has been shown that the IHM increases the crosslink density of the network and the interaction potential between dipoles to help maintain the orientational order, and the generated NLO materials enhance the T_g, nonresonant second-order nonlinearity and temporal stability.