Spectroscopic, DFT and Z-scan supported investigation of dicyanoisophorone based push-pull NLOphoric styryl dyes

The dicyanoisophorone acceptor based NLOphores with Intramolecular Charge Transfer (ICT) character are newly synthesised, characterised and explored for linear and non linear optical (NLO) property investigation. Strong ICT character of these D-pi-A styryl NLOphores is established with support of emission solvatochromism, polarity functions and Generalised Mulliken Hush (GMH) analysis. First, second and third order polarizability of these NLOphores is investigated by spectroscopic and TDDFT computational approach using CAM/B3LYP-6-311 + g (d, p) method. BLA and BOA values of these chromophores are evaluated from ground and excited state optimized geometries and found that the respective structures are approaching towards cyanine limit. Third order nonlinear susceptibility (X-(13)) along with nonlinear absorption coefficient (beta) and nonlinear refraction (n(2)) are evaluated for these NLOphores using Z-scan experiment. All four chromophores exhibit large polarization anisotropy (Delta alpha), first order hyperpolarizability (beta(0)), second order hyperpolarizability (gamma) and third order nonlinear susceptibility (X-(3)). TGA analysis proved these NLOphores are stable up to 320 degrees C and hence can be used in device fabrication. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.