Abstract

$N$-(alkyl-substituted) maleimides (RMIs) were proposed as materials useful for the development of a zero–zero-birefringence polymer that exhibits no birefringence. We analyzed the optical and thermal properties of poly(RMI)s, such as the refractive index, birefringence, and glass transition temperature. The characteristics of the obtained polymers varied significantly because the shift of the density and polarizability derived from the change of the substituent structure influenced the optical properties, and the bulkiness of the substituents influenced the thermal properties. We also designed a zero–zero-birefringence polymer using $N$-ethyl maleimide (EMI) as a comonomer, and the obtained copolymer had no birefringence, relatively high heat resistance, and high transparency.

© 2015 Optical Society of America

Transparent zero-birefringence copolymer and its optical properties

Shuichi Iwata, Hisashi Tsukahara, Eisuke Nihei, and Yasuhiro Koike
Appl. Opt. 36(19) 4549-4555 (1997)

Zero-birefringence polymer by the anisotropic molecule dope method

Akihiro Tagaya, Shuichi Iwata, Eriko Kawanami, Hisashi Tsukahara, and Yasuhiro Koike
Appl. Opt. 40(22) 3677-3683 (2001)

Zero-birefringence photosensitive polyimides for optical waveguides

Sung Ho Baek, Jae-Wook Kang, Xiangdan Li, Myong-Hoon Lee, and Jang-Joo Kim
Opt. Lett. 29(3) 301-303 (2004)

Thermal and optical properties of polymer hosts for solid-state dye lasers

William J. Wadsworth, Shirin M. Giffin, Iain T. McKinnie, John C. Sharpe, Anthony D. Woolhouse, Timothy G. Haskell, and Gerald J. Smith
Appl. Opt. 38(12) 2504-2509 (1999)

Fabrication of long-period gratings in poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methyl vinyl ketone-co-benzyl methacrylate)-core polymer optical fiber by use of a mercury lamp

Zengchang Li, H. Y. Tam, Lixin Xu, and Qijin Zhang
Opt. Lett. 30(10) 1117-1119 (2005)