Synthesis and Characterization of Polyimides to be Used in the Fabrication of a Low Driving Voltage Electro-Optic Modulator

摘要

The aim of this project was to synthesize polyimides that exhibit second order nonlinear optic behavior and to fabricate a Low Driving Voltage Electro-optic Modulator. Undergraduate and graduate students were involved in all aspects of this project. A high temperature polyimide that had a NLO chromophore incorporated was synthesized and its properties characterized. The E-O Coefficient of the polyimide was determined to be 1.98pm/V and expected to have a driving voltage of 9.0 volts. In the detailed analysis of the design of the E-O Modulator Single-arm Interferometer it was determined that the waveguide should have two modes. In the design of the Modulator a new method of coupling light using micro-scratches was tested.