Achieving excellent electro-optic activity and thermal stability in poled polymers through an expeditious crosslinking process

Abstract

A series of highly efficient and thermally stable electro-optic (EO) polymers have been developed by poling and crosslinking in situ the blend of high glass-transition temperature (Tg) anthracene-containing polymers and acrylate-functionalized dendritic nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores. By molecular engineering of the shape, nonlinearity, Tg, and crosslinking moieties of the chromophores and polymers, the resultant materials showed significantly enhanced EO activities (r33 values as high as 126 pm V−1 at 1310 nm) and alignment stability (up to 200 °C). Poling efficiency of these EO polymers could be improved by 35–50% by using simplified lattice hardening and poling protocols. The combined good processability, large EO activities, and high temperature stability endow these materials as promising candidates for device exploration in the CMOS-based photonics.