Thermoplasticity and parallel-plate poling of electro-optic polyimide host thin films

Abstract

We demonstrate the first polyimide guest/host system which exhibits stable electro-optic response after parallel-plate poling. Such systems are based on a class of polyimides which, once cured, possess a clear glass transition in their dielectric relaxation spectra, characteristic of thermoplasticity. After doping with compatible nonlinear optical molecules the polyimide host system can first be thermally imidized (cured) and then poled with an electric field. High glass transition temperatures are achieved leading to excellent thermal stability of the poled electro-optic response.