DC drift in electro-optic polymer waveguide

Dc drift phenomenon in electro-optic polymer modulators has been analyzed. It is found that the de drift originates from the difference between the dielectric relaxation times of the guiding and cladding layers. The de drift is accelerated as the intensity of the guided light increases. Furthermore, when exposed to visible light, it becomes faster and the transmittance of the guided light decreases. The effect of the guided light and visible light on the de drift is interpreted in terms of the photoconductivity of guiding layer.