Abstract

Intensity dependent refractive index of a DANS polymer channel waveguide is measured directly with a pulse modulated Mach-Zehnder interferometer at the communication wavelength, 1.3 μm. Intensity of a M.L. Nd:YAG laser pulse is modulated by an electro-optic modulator with a high/low ratio better than 20:1. By comparing this measured phase shift with a numerical simulation we obtained n₂ = 8 × 10⁻⁸ cm²/MW. We also investigated the temporal pulse shape dependence of this interferometric measurement, which is pertinent to all intensity dependent interferometric measurements as well as to nonlinear switching devices with non-square shaped pulses.

© 1992 Optical Society of America