Synthesis and properties of glassy organic multifunctional photorefractive materials

Abstract We report the synthesis and characterization of several related amorphous multifunctional photorefractive (PR) materials with the charge transport agent covalently linked to a chromophore. DCTA (4,4′-di(carbazol-9-yl) triphenylamine) is used as the charge transport agent in conjunction with C60 to provide photoconductivity and DCST (an aminodicyanostyrene) is used as the birefringent and nonlinear optical chromophore. Chains with different lengths (2, 6 and 12 carbons) are used to covalently connect these two moieties. The linking units influence the glass transition temperature of the system, which in turn influences the PR performance. The longer linker allows faster orientation of the chromophore and results in higher PR speed but the response still appears to be limited by the molecular reorientation rather than photoconductivity in these systems.