Photonic Applications of Bipolaron Formation in Bis-(Diphenylamino)Diphenylpolyene

Bis-(dialkylamino) and bis-(diphenylamino) substituted diphenylpolyenes have recently been shown to have exceptionally large two-photon cross-sections, and have also been used in optical power limiting (OPL) applications. Another potential mechanism for OPL in these materials involves the photogeneration of highly absorbing polaronic radical-cations or bipolaronic dications which can then function as highly absorbing reverse saturable absorbers (RSAs). The synthesis of series of these unique polyenes has been carried out, as well as studies of chemically induced bipolaron formation in solution. In order to actually be used in OPL devices, it is probable that these chromophores will need to be incorporated into polymer formulations, In this paper we describe three distinct ways that these chromophores can be incorporated in polymer structures: (1) as pendant groups attached to a PMMA backbone, (2) as formal repeat units in a copolymer, and (3) perhaps the most interesting, as surface attached functionalities in dendrimer formulations. The formation of bipolaron charge species in these polymers will be addressed.