PRISM COUPLING IN DMOP-PPV OPTICAL WAVE-GUIDES

Prism coupling experiments were performed on poly(1,4-phenylene-1,2-bis (4-methoxyphenyl) vinylene) low loss (alpha = 1 dB/cm) optical waveguides, with a picosecond (tau(FWHM) = 5 ps) infrared laser source (lambda = 830 nm). The results show a very large influence of the amorphous nature of the polymer material on its dielectric properties. In particular, large quasi-permanent changes of the refractive index at lambda = 830 nm were observed, which are explained in the frame of a four-level system model, taking into account trap levels in the bandgap of the material.