Exceptionally large two- and three-photon absorption cross-sections by OPV organometalation

Oligo(p-phenylenevinylene)s (OPVs) containing up to 8 PV units and end-functionalized by ruthenium alkynyl groups have been prepared and their nonlinear absorption properties assessed using the Z-scan technique and employing low repetition rate femtosecond pulses. Exceptionally large two-photon absorption (ca. 12 500 GM at 725 nm) and three-photon absorption cross sections (ca. 1.6 × 10⁻⁷⁶ cm⁶s² at 1100 nm) are found for the 8PV-containing example, highlighting the potential of an “organometalation” approach to NLO-efficient organic materialsWe thank the Australian Research Council (ARC), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51432006), the Chinese Government Ministry of Education, the Chinese Government State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (111 Project: B13025), and the National Science Centre of Poland (grant 2013/10/A/ST4/00114) for financial support. M. P. C. thanks the ARC for an Australian Research Fellowship and C. Q. thanks CONICYT (Chile) for a Chile PhD Scholarship Abroad