Feature

Optical switching in polydiacetylene-based directional couplers

S.J. Allen Jr.,

Waveguide directional-coupler devices have been fabricated from thin films of solution-processible polydiacetylenes. When operated at a wavelength of 1.06 μm, these devices exhibit a variety of nonlinear transmission and switching phenomena due to both fast electronic and slow thermal nonlinearities in the polymer. Such results, obtained on prototype device structures, give important information on the operating conditions and constraints relevant for future polymer based on nonlinear optical devices.