A new approach for the spatial photopattering of the quadratic non-linear optical properties of novel doped photopolymers is presented. The material is composed of a mixture of triacrylic monomers and copolymerizable push-pull chromophores exhibiting quadratic hyperpolarizability. The methods used to perform the photopatterning of the NLO properties and to improve their lifetime is presented along with a model for the thermally induced chromophore orientation relaxation. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.