Poly polymer optical waveguides

Figure 2 shows a d.c. recorder retracing of a typical set of dry air/saturated vapor cycling responses of the optical waveguide coated with the polymer, poly-epichlorohydrin (PEH) and exposed cyclically to benzene vapors. Aside from the clearly detected electrical signals above the dry air baseline reference, their amplitudes appear to show apparent reversibility over the four exposure cycles indicated in the figure. Also, the rise time and decay of these signals are rather symmetric and indicate a film response time of less than one minute. 

Peroxide Sensitizers. Poly(methylmethacrylate), PMMA, is the first polymer reported to exhibit an increase in refractive index upon irradiation with uv light (41). Irradiation at either 325 nm (Cd laser) or 365 nm (Hg arc) was found to give an index increase of up to 0.3%, and the resolution, determined from gratings, was shown to be at least 5000 lines/mm. Applications to optical waveguides and holographic elements were suggested. This phenomenon was a serendipitous discovery. The PMMA had been intended for use as an inert matrix for reversible photodimerization when its own photosensitivity was uncovered. 

Certain organic compounds like DHI can develop colour in snnlight and lose it in the dark (photochromic material). DHI is commonly used with a range of different polymers, such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), poly-n-butylmethacrylate (P(nBMA)) and polystyrene-polybutadiene (PS-BD) copolymers. Their applications include eye-glasses, light modulators, inks, paints and optical waveguides. 

Transparent amorphous polymers such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) have been found to be useful materials for polymer optical fibers (POFs) (1,2), waveguides (3), lenses (4), optical disks (5), and other optical components because of their excellent mechanical properties and easy processing. Many recently developed optical applications utilizing polarization techniques need optical polymers for maintaining more accurate polarization. However, applications of optical polymers are limited by birefringence which occurs in the process of device fabrication. 

Kim JP, Kang JW, Kim JJ, Lee JS. Ruorinated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s for polymeric optical waveguide devices. Polymer 2003 44(15) 4189-95. 

Y. Zhao, F. Wang, A. Li, B. Liu, Z. Wu, D. Zhang, S. Liu, M. Yi, Cross-linkable fluorinated poly(ether ether ketone) polymers for optical waveguide devices. Mater. Lett. 58 (19)(2004)2365-2368. 

G. Li, J. Wang, G. Yu, X. Jian, L. Wang, M. Zhao, Synthesis and characterization of partly fluorinated poly(phthalazinone ether) s crosslinked by allyl group for passive optical waveguides. Polymer 51 (6) (2010) 1524-1529. 

Recently, optical telecommunications tliat transmit large amounts of information via light signals have been rapidly replacing conventional electrical telecommunications. Optical polymers, such as poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), and polycarbonate (PC) are used for plastic optical fibers and waveguides. However, these polymers do not have enough Ihermal... 

Lee HJ, Lee MH,Oh MC,Ahn JH, Hwang WY, Han SG (1999) Low-loss optical polymer waveguide applications based on crosslined fluorinated poly(arylene ether)s. In Organic thin films for photonic applications. Optical Society of America, Washington DC, p 197... 

Figure 15.12 Optically pumped waveguide structure based on a ladder-type poly(paraphenylene) (m-LPPP) polymer film on glass, using pulsed excitation at444nm wavelength. (Reprinted with permission from Ref [56]. Copyright 1997, American Institute of Physics.)...

---