ISOCYANATE CROSS-LINKED POLYMERS FOR NONLINEAR OPTICS .1. POLYMERS DERIVED FROM L-N-(2''-HYDROXYETHYL)AMINO)BENZYLIDENE]-RHODANINE

Novel difunctional nonlinear optical molecules have been synthesized. These molecules, having functionalities that differ in their reactivit ies at each end, have been converted to thermally cross-linked polyure a-polyurethane. The stability of the nonlinear optical response for th e poled cross-linked polymer at 100-degrees-C has been studied by seco nd harmonic generation and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results suggest th at decay of the nonlinear optical response was due to chromophore degr adation rather than relaxation of the polar orientation. Single-mode o ptical channel waveguides displayed propagation loss less than 1 dB/cm at 1330 nm. Channel waveguide intensity modulators displayed an elect rooptic coefficient of 3.3 pm/V.