SYNTHESIS, ELECTRICAL AND OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF ASYMMETRICALLY MONOALKOXY-SUBSTITUTED PPV DERIVATIVES

Abstract

Poly(2-methoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene), PMPV, and its copolymers containing both unsubstituted and 2-methoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene (MPV) units were prepared in thin films from their water-soluble proecursor polymers, and monobutoxy- and monododecyloxy-substituted PPV derivatives were also prepared via the water-soluble precursor method. Drawn films (L/L(o) = 6) of PMPV could be doped with I2 vapor and FeCl3 to give conductivities of 3.2 and 4.0 Scm-1, respectively. Conductivity values of long alkoxy-subsituted PPVs were decreased by increasing the carbon number of mono substituted alkoxy side chain. Conductivity of FeCl3 doped copolymer films ranged from 1-100 Scm-1 depending on the composition of the copolymers. The third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility, chi(3)(3 omega ; omega, omega, omega) for PMPV thin film has been investigated by degenerate four-wave mixing technique using 400 femtosecond pulses at 602nm. A relatively large 3rd-order susceptibility value (chi(3) = 7.9 x 10(-10) esmu) with a subpicosecond response was observed.