Research On Electro-optic Polymer Waveguide

Many research works on integrated optic and optic apparatus have been done with the rapid development of high velocity communication and whole optic web technology. In recently polarized EO (electro-optic) polymer waveguides have caused increasingly attention on their key function in whole optic web with the breakthrough of research on polymer nonlinear characterization that includes high nonlinear coefficient, low permittivity, easy processing and monolithic integration potential. They can be used to implement high performance photonic components, such as high-speed optical switches, tunable filters and broadband optical modulators.The application of electro-optic polymers in the field of optical communication is briefly introduced and the state of the art in the research of electro-optic polymers is reviewed. We present the related theory and research achievement about electro-optic effects, including the theory of nonlinear optical susceptibility, the theory of electro-optic effect and electro-optic coefficient.The design and fabrication of EO polymer waveguide has been introduced. Single mode rib waveguide model is derived from parallel waveguide method. The rib waveguide can couple better with fiber by simulating the process using special software (FDTD and BPM). Detail of fabricating rib waveguide is then given with much analyzing material chosen and usual concerned problems. Several ways on writing waveguide such as photo-bleaching, react ion and laser writing are introduced.EO polymer parameters such as refractive index and polarized coefficient are the essential for appliance of EO polymer apparatus. Better experiment ways on parameter measurement have been given by comparing many traditional means. Ellipsometry is used to measure polymer refractive index and corona poling technique is for polarized coefficient.Devices based on polymer currently are used as key apparatus in many field of communication such as high-rapid modulator, optical switches, optical filter etc. Intelligent whole optic web makes the main direction of further development in communication and research on polymer apparatus is now facing positive foreground.