Electro-optic polymer modulators for 1.55 μm wavelength using phenyltetraene bridged chromophore in polycarbonate

Electro-optic polymer modulators operating at 1550 nm are demonstrated based on a nonlinear optical polymer of a phenyltetraene bridged chromophore in polycarbonate. It has a large electro-optic coefficient (r(33) = 55 pm/V at 1550 nm), good thermal stability (90 degrees C), and low loss (1.7 dB/cm). A thin protective layer was used in the fabrication of ridge waveguides on the nonlinear polymer. We measured V-pi of 2.4 and 3.7 V at 1300 and 1550 nm, respectively. The chip loss of the modulator at both wavelengths was 5 dB, not including fiber coupling losses. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)00324-7].