A series of photocrosslinkable, side-chain, second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) poly(ester imide)s (PEIs) based on a chromophore-containing dianhydride, 2,2Ј-{4-[(4-nitrophenyl)-azo]phenyl}iminobis(ethyl benzene-1,2-dicarboxylic acid anhydride-4-carboxylate), benzophenone-3,3Ј,4,4Ј-tetracarboxylic dianhydride, and 4,4Ј-diamino-3,3Ј-dimethyl diphenylmethane were prepared. The resulting PEIs exhibited many useful physical characteristics, such as good organosolubility, excellent film-forming properties, high glass-transition temperatures (186 -229°C), and high thermal decomposition temperatures. The electrooptic coefficient value of PEI3 at 650 nm was 11.5 pm/V, and high long-term stability of the NLO chromophore alignment in the poled PEI3 film at 120°C was observed. The temporal stability of the dipole orientation at 150°C was further enhanced by ultraviolet irradiation because of photocrosslinking.