Abstract

The continuing development of photonics drives a search for ever-improving optically nonlinear materials. The existing materials can be classified as either organic or inorganic. A new approach is provided by so- called organomineral materials, which contain both organic and inorganic components.^1-4 The aim of this approach is to combine the favorable properties of both classes of material: to benefit from the enhanced nonlinearities of organic molecules and also from the structural cohesion and facility of growth of some inorganic materials. Strong ionic- and hydrogen-bonding interactions between organic cations and mineral anions overcome the usual drawbacks of more traditional Van der Waals structures. A successful example of this approach is 2-amino-5-nitropyridimum-dihydrogen-phosphate (2A5NPDP) ^2,3 This material has been precisely tailored for near-infrared applications, whereas other work has been directed towards the blue/near-ultraviolet region of the spectrum.⁴

© 1995 Optical Society of America