Polymeric materials for high-speed electro-optic waveguide modulators

Abstract

This paper discusses some of the important material property requirements for polymeric materials in electro-optic device applications, in particular, a detailed materials characterisation of a promising polymer that is not only high in electro-optic activity after poling, but has predicted long term thermal stability of the poled structure. This material is a methacrylic chain polymer with non-linear optical moieties attached as side chains through a spacer group. Progress in fabrication and characterisation of waveguides using this polymer is also reported.