Electro-optic polymer waveguide devices incorporating organically modified sol-gel clads
View Patent ↗A method including poling an optical waveguide device including an optical waveguide core, an electrode, and an organically modified sol-gel layer.
1. A method, comprising: poling an optical waveguide device, wherein the optical waveguide device comprises an optical waveguide core including an organic chromophore and a polymer, at least one electrode, and an organically modified sol-gel layer between the electrode and the optical waveguide core, wherein the poling induces electro-optic activity in the optical waveguide core.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide core comprises a crosslinked polymer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chromophore is covalently attached to the polymer backbone of the optical waveguide core.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein poling comprises corona poling.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein poling comprises electrode poling.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein poling comprises push-pull poling.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising shaping the optical waveguide core.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein shaping comprises reactive ion etching.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein shaping comprises laser ablation.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein shaping comprises bleaching.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein shaping comprises positive or negative tone photolithography.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein shaping comprises embossing.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide device further comprises a substrate.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide device further comprises a polymer buffer clad.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide device further comprises a second electrode and a second organically modified sol-gel layer between the second electrode and the optical waveguide core.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the optical waveguide device further comprises a first polymer buffer clad and a second polymer buffer clad.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sol-gel layer has a refractive index that is lower than the refractive index of the core.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sol-gel layer has a resistivity of 10 11 ohm·cm −1 or less.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sol-gel layer decreases in resistivity by at least three orders of magnitude from room temperature to poling temperature.