BLUE-LIGHT GUIDING IN A POLYMERIC NONLINEAR-OPTICAL LANGMUIR-BLODGETTWAVE-GUIDE

Blue light (457.9 nm) guiding with low optical loss (2-6 dB cm-1) over several centimeters is reported in an all-polymeric Langmuir-Blodgett film, made by alternate deposition of an amphiphilic nonlinear optica l (NLO) polymer and poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) on Pyrex. Low-loss o ptical waveguiding in the wavelength region of frequency-doubled diode lasers is of technological importance for efficient guided-mode-to-gu ided-mode frequency conversion schemes in waveguide format. Deposition and waveguiding were also carried out on a silicon wafer with a silic on dioxide buffer layer showing compatibility with silicon-based integ rated optics. Second-harmonic generation experiments demonstrate the n onlinear activity of this polymeric material when incorporated into La ngmuir-Blodgett films.