Single reactor route to polar superlattices. Layer-by-layer self-assembly of large-response molecular electrooptic materials by protection-deprotection

Protection-deprotection of silyl-derivatized surface hydroxyl groups represents a new, "one-pot" strategy for the layer-by-layer construction of polar, covalently interlinked electrooptic molecular superlattices. These, siloxane-based multilayer structures are shown to be smooth, adherent, and structurally regular and to exhibit excellent electrooptic/nonlinear optic responses with chi ((2))(zzz) similar to 220 pm/V and r(33) similar to 80 pm/V without electric field poling. This all "wet-chemical" self-assembly approach should be readily amenable to automation.