Simple two-slit interference electro-optic coefficients measurement technique and efficient coplanar electrode poling of polymer thin films

A novel technique using coplanar electrodes for measuring the electro-optic coefficients of in-plane poled polymer thin films is presented, This method does not require waveguiding and uses a simple optical setup. In this technique the index across one slit of a two-slit aperture is modulated by an electric field and the modulated interference pattern of light after it propagates through these slits is detected in the far field. A coplanar electrode pattern was used for both in-plane poling and for measuring the r coefficients in a two-arm push-pull configuration. The maximum poling strength achieved was 200 V/mu m. An r(33) coefficients of 12.5 pm/V at 1.3 mu m, the wavelength dispersion of r(33) and the r(33)/r(13) ratio as a function of the poling field, were measured for the PURDR19 electro-optic polymer. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.