Linear Polymers for Nonlinear Optics. 2. Synthesis and Electrooptical Properties of Polymers Bearing Pendant Chromophores with Methylsulfonyl Electron-Acceptor Groups¹

Several acrylic polymers bearing pendant stilbene or azobenzene chromophores containing 4ʹ-dialkylamino electron donors and 4-methylsulfonyl electron acceptors have been synthesized. These amorphous polymers exhibited good film-forming abilities, moderately high glass transition temperatures, and excellent optical clarity. Film samples of the polymers were poled in electric fields and demonstrated large, stable second-order nonlinear optical properties. Electrooptic coefficients at 632 nm were measured using ellipsometry. To demonstrate their utility in electrooptical devices, the title polymers were fabricated into low-loss waveguides, and Mach-Zehnder interferometers were constructed. Electrooptic coefficients as high as 12 pm/V were measured at 860 nm with these prototypical devices. Comparisons between experimental and predicted electrooptic coefficients are presented.