Abstract

A new technique for measuring the electro-optic coefficient of nonlinear optical polymer is described. In an attenuated-total-reflection experiment the refractive index of the poled polymer is changed because of the Pockels effect. This change causes a shift of the angular position of the surface plasmon modes that corresponds to a change in reflectivity at a fixed angle. By measuring the change of the light reflectivity at the properly chosen angle one can calculate the electro-optic coefficient of the poled polymer. Compared with other, conventional methods, here the electro-optic coefficients are given in a simpler form and the required parameters are easier to measure. The commonly used lock-in amplifier is not required. This technique is a highly sensitive method for measuring the electro-optic coefficient because of the newly chosen working interior angle for which a tiny change in the refractive index leads to a large change in reflectivity.

© 2000 Optical Society of America

Electro-optic effects in two tolane side-chain nonlinear-optical polymers: comparison between measured coefficients and second-harmonic generation

D. Morichère, P.-A. Chollet, W. Fleming, M. Jurich, Barton A. Smith, and J. D. Swalen
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 10(10) 1894-1900 (1993)

Characterization of electro-optic polymer films by use of decal-deposited reflection Fabry–Perot microcavities

Ph. Prêtre, L.-M. Wu, R. A. Hill, and A. Knoesen
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 15(1) 379-392 (1998)

Improvement of the interferometric method for measuring electro-optic coefficients of poled polymer thin films

Xin Yin, Qiwei Pan, Wei Shi, and Changshui Fang
Appl. Opt. 41(28) 5929-5932 (2002)

Electro-optic coefficients in electric-field-poled polymer waveguides

S. Herminghaus, Barton A. Smith, and J. D. Swalen
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 8(11) 2311-2317 (1991)

Dispersion of the complex electro-optic coefficient and electrochromic effects in poled polymer films

Koen Clays and Jay S. Schildkraut
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 9(12) 2274-2282 (1992)