Dynamic Dipole Moment of Luminescent Liquid Crystals Enabled Highly Efficient Active Waveguide Materials Design and Synthesis

Abstract

Organic optical waveguide materials have attracted considerable attention for their promising applications in photonic and optoelectronic devices. However, for most materials, excellent light-loss properties at high temperature cannot be obtained due to many factors. Consequently, realizing efficient optical waveguide materials that perform well at elevated temperatures remains a significant challenge. In this study, relying on the luminescent properties and self-assembly properties of luminescent liquid crystals (LLCs), successfully fabricated materials are present for highly efficient active optical waveguides. A systematically synthesized set of LLCs with different structures is named according to the substituent type and the position of the cyano group, namely α-DECN, α-DEEOCN, β-DECN, and β-DEEOCN. Notably, α-DECN and β-DECN reveal hexagonal columnar phase, while α-DEEOCN and β-DEEOCN exhibit smectic phase. Optical waveguide experiments have revealed that the obtained LLCs showed highly efficient optical waveguide behavior, where the lowest light loss reached 0.15 dB mm⁻¹ at room temperature. Remarkably, these LLCs show even lower light loss at high temperatures, with the light loss reaching 0.11 dB mm⁻¹ as the lowest point. Further experimental results indicate that this phenomenon is attributed to the change in the dipole moment of these molecules. This research forms a significant groundwork for advanced exploration in optical waveguide material.