LOW LOSS OPTICAL POLYMER AND DEVICES MADE THEREFROM

1 . A electro-optic composite comprising a polymer having the structure

and a nonlinear optical chromophore having the structure D-π-A, wherein:

R is an alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, or heteroaryl, group;

D is a donor;

π is a π bridge;

A is an acceptor;

n=0-4;

m=1-4; and

o=1-4.

2 . The electro-optic composite of claim 1 , wherein m=4 and n=4.

3 . The electro-optic composite of claim 2 , wherein R=—CH 3 and n=3.

4 . The electro-optic composite of claim 1 , wherein the π bridge includes a thiophene ring having oxygen atoms bonded directly to the 3 and 4 positions of the thiophene ring.

5 . The electro-optic composite of claim 4 , wherein the oxygen atoms are independently substituted with an alkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl group.

6 . The electro-optic composite of claim 5 , wherein the nonlinear optical chromophore comprises

wherein: D is a donor; π 1 is a π bridge; π 2 is a π bridge; A is an acceptor, and n=0-4.

7 . The electro-optic composite of claim 6 wherein the donor is selected from the group consisting of:

and the acceptor is selected from the group consisting of

wherein independently at each occurrence: R 1 is hydrogen, a halogen, an alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, or heteroaryl group; R 2 is hydrogen, an alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, or heteroaryl group; Y is O, S or Se; m is 2, 3 or 4; p is 0, 1 or 2; and q is 0 or 1.

8 . The electro-optic composite of claim 7 , wherein the donor is selected from the group consisting of

wherein, independently at each occurrence: R 1 is hydrogen, a halogen except when bonded to a carbon alpha to or directly to a nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur atom, or an alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, or heteroaryl group; and R 2 is hydrogen or an alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, or heteroaryl group.

9 . The electro-optic composite of claim 8 , wherein π 1 and π 2 are both

10 . The electro-optic composite of claim 1 , wherein A is

R f is selected from the group consisting of

R 2 is an alkyl group; and X is O or S.

11 . An electro-optic device comprising the electro-optic composite of claim 1 .

12 . The electro-optic device of claim 11 , wherein the electro-optic device comprises a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a directional coupler, or a microring resonator.

13 . An optical device, comprising:

a waveguide core including a polymer having the structure

a polymer cladding having a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the waveguide core.

14 . The optical device of claim 13 , wherein the waveguide core includes a passive device.

15 . The optical device of claim 13 , wherein the waveguide core includes a nonlinear optical chromophore.

16 . The optical device of claim 15 , wherein the waveguide core includes a second order non-linear optical chromophore.

17 . A method of modulating light, comprising:

passing light through an active optical waveguide including an electro-optic composite including a polymer having the structure

and a nonlinear optical chromophore having the structure D-π-A, wherein:

R is an alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, or heteroaryl, group,

D is a donor,

π is a π electron conjugated bridge,

A is an acceptor,

n=0-4,

m=1-4, and

o=1-4; and

applying a modulation voltage through the optical waveguide.

18 . The method of modulating light of claim 17 , further comprising:

passing light to the active optical waveguide through a passive optical waveguide including a polymer having the structure

19 . The method of modulating light of claim 18 , wherein the passive optical waveguide and the active optical waveguide adjoin one another through a taper or a butt joint.