Sterically stabilized second-order
nonlinear optical chromophores and devices incorporating the same are embodied in a variety of
chromophore materials. An exemplary preferred
chromophore includes an
electron donor group, an
electron acceptor group and a ring-locked bridge structure therebetween, with the bridge structure being directly connected to the
electron donor via a
single bond. Another exemplary preferred
chromophore includes an
electron donor group, an
electron acceptor group and a ring-locked bridge structure between the
electron donor group and the
electron acceptor group, with two free double bonds, one located between the donor and the bridge and the other located between the (fused) ring bridge and the
acceptor. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an
electron donor group, an
electron acceptor group, and a bridge structure therebetween, with the chromophores having no carbon-carbon
double bond between the donor and the (fused) ring bridge. In this class, there is only one unlocked carbon-carbon
double bond between the (fused) ring bridge and the
acceptor. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron
donor group, an electron acceptor group, and a ring-locked bridge structure therebetween, with a built-in electron-withdrawing cyano group on the last ring of the (fused) bridge. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes any electron
donor group, an electron acceptor group including a linear conjugated triene bearing four cyano groups, and any bridge structure therebetween.