Recent advances in polymer electro-optic modulators

Abstract

In this brief review, nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores widely used in electro-optic (EO) devices are summarized according to their EO coefficients. The advances of EO modulators based on organic materials in high bandwidth and low half wave voltages (V p ) are discussed. The review is mainly devoted to the following aspects: (1) verification of high frequency operation and reduction of V p for all polymer waveguide EO modulators; (2) structures and advantages of sol-gel waveguide EO modulators; (3) principles and developments of silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) EO modulators. All the considerations are illustrated by the architecture of the devices and the used physical and chemical principles are explained in detail. Further means of improvement of their parameters are indicated.

Low half-wave voltage Y-branch electro-optic polymer modulator based on side-chain polyurethane-imide

“…16,17 In the recent decades, many types of polymers have been employed in fabricating EO modulators such as poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA), polyurethane (PU), polyimide (PI), amorphous polycarbonate (APC), etc. [18][19][20][21][22] Among those kinds of polymers, PU has advantages in film-formability and solubility, but a low T g is still a non-negligible weakness. And PI possesses a higher T g and thermally stability compared with PU.…”

Demonstration of a high-speed switch with coplanar waveguide electrodes based on electro-optic polymer-clad waveguides

“…Due to the physical properties of the EO materials and available processes, many techniques combining EO materials with structures have been used to improve the performance of the EO devices. [19][20][21][22][23][24] There are mainly two methods to incorporate the NLO chromophores into polymers: guest-host and side-chain or main-chain. 17,18 Various organic chromophores and EO polymers have been studied for the application of EO devices.…”

Novel poly(aryl ether ketone) with electro-optic chromophore side chains for light modulators

“…Due to their ultrafast response time, easier processing, lower dielectric constant and higher nonlinear optical coefficients compared to conventional inorganic crystals and semiconductors, organic second order nonlinear optical materials have received more and more attention for their potential applications in high speed electro-optic conversion devices [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. The performance of electro optical (EO) devices in half-wave voltage, insertion loss and stability has increased.…”