Abstract

The electro-optical activity of organic, nonlinear optical (NLO) systems in part depends on the extent of molecular orientation of the NLO moiety. In this investigation, the technique of using infrared absorption spectroscopy to characterize molecular orientation is introduced as a means of characterizing orientational order in poled polymer glasses. A quantitative understanding of this orientation can be used in modeling the field-induced orientation of a dipole as well as for determining the polarizabilities of new NLO substituents. In this initial investigation the orientation of organic guest molecules in corona-poled guest/host systems is investigated with FTIR spectroscopy. The guest molecules include 2-methyl-4-nitroanaline and 4-aminobenzonitrile. For compatibility, we usually used polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as the matrix polymer, and it is interesting that some of the PMMA substituent groups also exhibit field-induced orientation. Molecular orientation parameters and relaxation behavior of these systems will be presented.

© 1990 Optical Society of America