Light-Induced Charge Transfer in Self-Assemblies: Applications for Nonlinear Optical Materials

We propose to investigate a new class of charge transfer compounds with a focus on their application in non-linear optics. The new charge transfer compounds are supramolecular complexes of cyclodextrins linked with push-pull stilbenes forming a rod-like structure. The goal of this project is to synthesize, photophysically characterize, and modify these self-assembled cyclodextrin-stilbene complexes towards non-linear efficiency. Second-harmonic generation technique is to be employed to test their non-linear response. Cyclo-dextrin-stilbene complexes are specially promising, because cyclodextrins are transparent in ultra-violet light and the inclusion of stilbenes into the cyclodextrin macro- molecular assemblies is expected to increase the photochemical stability of these compounds. The self-assembling mechanism of the inclusion of a guest molecule - stilbene - into the cavity of a host - cyclodextrin - is proposed to be extended into the integration of these supramolecular complexes into self-assembled monolayers on solid surfaces.