SBIR-STTR Award

Polymeric in-line fiber (PILF) devices open up a new region of parameter space for electro-optic (EO) polymer materials development. The short interaction length characteristic of PILF devices makes it possible to use resonant enhancement to greatly boost the achievable EO response. Optivision, with the University of Chicago and the University of California at Davis as key subcontractors, proposes the development of novel high-temperature-stable resonantly-enhanced EO polyimide materials with properties optimized for PILF device applications. The effort will take advantage of established Optivison expertise in PILF device design and testing, University of Chicago expertise in the synthesis of high-temperature-stable soluble aromatic EO polymer processing and characterization. In the proposed effort, we will investigate: (1) scaled-up synthesis of known EO polyimide materials; (2) processing and characterization methodologies for EO polyimides; (3) device level testing of EO polyimides using PILF structures; (4) resonantly enhanced nonlinear optical chromophores; (5) synthetic strategies for production of novel high-temperature-stable, resonantly-enhanced EO polyimides during Phase II; and (6) high level design of a particular PILF device to be built during Phase II.

Keywords:
ELECTRO-OPTIC POLYMERS NONLINEAR OPTICS NONLINEAR OPTICAL MATERIALS ELECTRO-OPTIC MATERIALS

Optivision, with the University of Chicago and the University of California, Davis as key subcontractors, proposes to develop novel high-temperature-stable reasonantly-enhanced electro-optic (EO) poluimide materials with properties optimized for polymeric in-line fiber (PILF) device applications. The PILF structure opens up a new region of parameter space for EO polymer materials development and makes it possible t utilize resonant enhancement of the optical monlinearities to greatly boost the achievable EO response. During the Phase I effort, we synthesized several novel sidechai polyimide materials and developed suitable processing, characterization, and device fabrication techniques. In addition, we fabricated and demonstrated PILF characterization structures and PILF amplitude modulator which was delivered to Wright Labs. During the Phase II effort, we will develop and optimize these EO polymers to provide strong resonant enhancement of the EO coefficients which will enable the development of practical PILF devices. In addition, we will utilize a variety of characterization tools to investigate the optional properties of the new EO polymers and further develop the PILF structure as a characterization tool ideally suited for long term testing of EO polymer photochemical and thermal stability. An optimized EO polymer material will be developed and scaled up to provide quantities suitable for fabrication and optimization of a PILF phase shifter.