Hyperpolarizability, nonlinear optical properties

Polarizabilities and hyperpolarizabilities have been calculated with semi-empirical, ah initio, and DFT methods. The general conclusion from these studies is that a high level of theory is necessary to correctly predict nonlinear optical properties. 

There have been some attempts to compute nonlinear optical properties in solution. These studies have shown that very small variations in the solvent cavity can give very large deviations in the computed hyperpolarizability. The valence bond charge transfer (VB-CT) method created by Goddard and coworkers has had some success in reproducing solvent effect trends and polymer results (the VB-CT-S and VB-CTE forms, respectively). 

Acentricity greatly enhances the y-value (see 92 vs 91 and 90 or 101 vs 99 and 100, Fig. 8). Such a trend had been predicted for certain ranges of compounds by theory [137] however when the first hyperpolarizability, which determines second-order nonlinear optical properties, is maximized, y is predicted to be zero [138]. 

The large molecular hyperpolarizability of the merocyanine chromophore (4,5) and the highly polar environment of the quasicrystals has prompted studies of the second order nonlinear optical properties of these materials (6). 

This paper is a tutorial overview of the techniques used to characterize the nonlinear optical properties of bulk materials and molecules. Methods that are commonly used for characterization of second- and third-order nonlinear optical properties are covered. Several techniques are described briefly and then followed by a more detailed discussion of the determination of molecular hyperpolarizabilities using third harmonic generation. 

The theoretical models discussed above indicate that the sulfonyl group, although slightly weaker in electron acceptor strength, is indeed a viable alternative to the nitro group. In particular, sulfonyl derivatives of stilbene and azobenzene display large molecular hyperpolarizabilities and can be used as bifunctional chromophores for the construction of materials with nonlinear optical properties. 

Nonlinear optical properties depend upon the molecular environment as well as the individual molecular prop erties. In particular, at the molecular level, second harmonic generation depends upon the magnitude of p (the quadratic hyperpolarizability), which is the coefficient... 

TDDFT methods have also been applied successfully to the description of the linear and nonlinear optical properties of heteroleptic sandwich complexes. The optical spectrum and the hyperpolarizability of Zr(OEP)(OEPz,) for which large first hyperpolarizabilities, /JSHG (SHG=second-harmonic generation) were measured in an electric field induced second-harmonic generation (EFISH) experiment [182], have been investigated by TDDFT methods [134]. The excitation energies and oscillator strengths calculated... 

To understand and optimize the electro-optic properties of polymers by the use of molecular engineering, it is of primary importance to be able to relate their macroscopic properties to the individual molecular properties. Such a task is the subject of intensive research. However, simple descriptions based on the oriented gas model exist [ 20,21 ] and have proven to be in many cases a good approximation for the description of poled electro-optic polymers [22]. The oriented gas model provides a simple way to relate the macroscopic nonlinear optical properties such as the second-order susceptibility tensor elements expressed in the orthogonal laboratory frame X,Y,Z, and the microscopic hyperpolarizability tensor elements that are given in the orthogonal molecular frame x,y,z (see Fig. 9). 

Keywords nonlinear optical properties, vibrational hyperpolarizabilities, nuclear relaxation hyper-... 

In the past two decades, a significant effort has been made towards development of reliable computational techniques for calculations of nonlinear optical properties of molecules. This has been reflected in many methods for calculations of first-(jS) and second-order (y) hyperpolarizabilities implemented in widely available quantum-chemical packages. However, the purely resonant properties, like two-and three-photon absorptivities have been coded in only a few of them. Also the inclusion of the influence of environment on NLO properties made a significant step forward in comparisons of theoretical and experimental data for large organic systems. 

The two-form model has its roots in the valence-bond charge-transfer (VB-CT) model derived by Mulliken [84] and used with minor modifications by Warshel et al. for studying reactions in solutions [114]. Goddard et al. applied this VB-CT model to study the nonlinear optical properties of tire charge-transfer systems. [27, 59]. The analysis of the relationship between electronic and vibrational components of the hyperpolarizabilities within the two-state valence-bond approach was presented by Bishop et al. [17]. Despite the limitations of the VB-CT model, it is very simple and gives some insight into mutual relationships between nonlinear optical responses through the various orders. 

Andre, J.-M., Barbier, C., Bodart, V., Delhalle, J. Trends in calculations of polarizabiUties and hyperpolarizabilities of long molecules. In Nonlinear Optical Properties of Organic Molecules and Crystals, vol. 2. Academe, New York (1987)... 

In the above discussion, we have only considered the effects due to the CTE-CTE repulsion, which contribute to the resonant nonlinear absorption (as well as to other resonant nonlinearities) by the CTE themselves. Here, however, we want to mention a more general mechanism by which the nonlinear optical properties of media containing CTEs in the excited state can be enhanced. This influence is due to the strong static electric field arising in the vicinity of an excited CTE, If, for example, the CTE (or CT complex) static electric dipole moment is 20 Debye, at a distance of 0.5 nm it creates a field Ecte of order 107 V/cm. Such strong electric fields have to be taken into account in the calculation of the nonlinear susceptibilities, because they change the hyperpolarizabilities a, / , 7, etc. of all molecules close to the CTE. For instance, in the presence of these CTE induced static fields, the microscopic molecular hyperpolarizabilities are modified as follows... 

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