Relative electrical resistivities and poling of nonlinear optical polymeric waveguides

A method based on Maker fringe measurements of nonlinear optical coefficien ts has been used to determine the relative dc electrical resistivities of a series of linear and nonlinear optical polymers. The method can be used to identify low resistivity linear cladding materials for optimized electric field poling of nonlinear optical polymeric waveguides. As an example of th e application of the technique we have studied the resistivity of poly(meth yl methacrylate)-polystyrene (PMMA-PS) copolymers with varying content of t he two components. The resistivity of PMMA was found to be one order of mag nitude lower than that of PS. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S000 3-6951(00)01603-X].