A chromophore represented by formula I: D 1 -Het(̵L-Het)̵ i D 2 wherein Het is: wherein: i is 0 or an integer in the range of 1 to 100; X is selected from the group consisting of -N(A 0)-, -O-, -Se-, and -Te-; Z is selected from the group consisting of -N(R a)-, -O-, -S-, -Se-, and -Te-; Ao is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted amido, optionally substituted cyclic amido, optionally substituted cyclic imido, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted carboxy, and optionally substituted carbonyl; R a is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxyalkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted heteroalkenyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted cylcoalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloheteroalkyl, optionally substituted cycloheteroalkenyl, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted amido, optionally substituted cyclic amido, optionally substituted cyclic imido, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted carboxy, and optionally substituted carbonyl; D 1 and D 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryloxy, optionally substituted acyloxy, alkoxyaryl, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted amido, optionally substituted cyclic amido, optionally substituted cyclic imido, -aryl-NR'R", -aryl-aryl-NR'R", and -heteroaryl-heteroaryl-R'; wherein R' and R" are independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted aryl; or one or both of R' and R" forms a fused heterocyclic ring with aryl to which the N is attached to; provided that D 1 and D 2 are not both hydrogen, and D 1 and D 2 are not optionally substituted thiophen or optionally substituted furan; and L is independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, amino, amido, imido, optionally substituted alkoxy, acyl, carboxy, provided that L is not optionally substituted thiophene or optionally substituted furan. i is 0 or an integer in the range of 1 to 100; X is selected from the group consisting of -N(A 0)-, -O-, -Se-, and -Te-; Z is selected from the group consisting of -N(R a)-, -O-, -S-, -Se-, and -Te-; Ao is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted amido, optionally substituted cyclic amido, optionally substituted cyclic imido, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted carboxy, and optionally substituted carbonyl; R a is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxyalkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted heteroalkenyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted cylcoalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloheteroalkyl, optionally substituted cycloheteroalkenyl, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted amido, optionally substituted cyclic amido, optionally substituted cyclic imido, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted carboxy, and optionally substituted carbonyl; D 1 and D 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryloxy, optionally substituted acyloxy, alkoxyaryl, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted amido, optionally substituted cyclic amido, optionally substituted cyclic imido, -aryl-NR'R", -aryl-aryl-NR'R", and -heteroaryl-heteroaryl-R'; wherein R' and R" are independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted aryl; or one or both of R' and R" forms a fused heterocyclic ring with aryl to which the N is attached to; provided that D 1 and D 2 are not both hydrogen, and D 1 and D 2 are not optionally substituted thiophen or optionally substituted furan; and L is independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, amino, amido, imido, optionally substituted alkoxy, acyl, carboxy, provided that L is not optionally substituted thiophene or optionally substituted furan.