Abstract

Optically nonlinear polymers are attractive materials to be applied as active media in electro-optic devices. Polymeric multilayer structures, including an optically nonlinear waveguiding core, sandwiched between cladding layers and electrodes, have been produced. Monomode waveguides have been defined in the core of such multilayer structures. After electric field poling (156 V/µm) of the polymer core, r33 values up to 28 pm/V have been measured; to our knowledge the highest reported value thus far for an off-resonance electro-optic effect in polymers. Some devices have been made and tested. It may be expected that poling at higher field strengths will increase the polymeric device efficiency.

© 1989 Optical Society of America