<title>All-optical poling of DMABI molecules in a polymer matrix</title>

Many organic compounds in solid state have nonlinear optical properties due to the orientation of the molecules in a polymer matrix. In this work, all-optical poling and second harmonic generation in a composition consisting of 1 mass% of N,N-dimethylaminobenzylidene 1,3-indandione (DMABI) compound in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix were studied. Thin films were prepared by solvent casting. The 1.064-μm fundamental and 532-nm second harmonic wavelengths of a Nd:YAG laser were used. It is shown that DMABI molecules can be oriented by the method of all- optical poling, and that the process is related to the photoinduced switching between two equally stable states of the molecule.