Abstract

Nonlinear optical devices based on integrated optics or guided-wave technology are very attractive because of their advantages such as phase matching by variety of techniques and large light intensity due to small cross-section of waveguides. Although certain organic materials has large nonlinear optical susceptibilities, organic crystals are too fragile to make a waveguide. On the other hand, poled polymer films, which can be coated and patterned photolithographically, are useful material to make guided-wave devices. In several types of poled polymers, doped polymers (polymers doped with nonlinear optical molecules) are convenient to prepare. There are however several problems such as limited solubility of the nonlinear molecules in a polymer matrix and a rather fast relaxation of the induced optical nonlinearity obtained from poling in an electric field. As for methods to maintain the nonlinearity, covalent bonding approach [1] and cross-linked polymer[2] has been reported. These approach are very attractive to reduce the orientational disorder in poled polymers. The orientational disorder is however intrinsic in any amorphous material like poled polymers. It is therefore very important for practical devices to use some other method for maintaining the nonlinearity in poled polymer. It is also important for especially Electro-Optic devices to clarify the electric field dependence of nonlinearity in poled polymers.

© 1992 Optical Society of America