Molecules with enhanced two-photon absorptivities for two-photon optical recording in photopolymers

Summary form only given. Molecules exhibiting strong two-photon absorption hold great potential for a wide range of applications, including 3D optical data storage. In particular, two-photon initiated polymerization holds tremendous promise for ultra high-density optical memory. One can selectively polymerize very small volumes of polymer near the focus of a laser beam, thus creating a change in refractive index and permitting high data storage densities. We have observed large two-photon absorptivities in bis-donor diphenylpolyene derivatives that appear to be correlated to simultaneous charge transfer from the end groups to the /spl Pi/-conjugated bridge in the molecule.