Electro-optic polymer and electro-optic devices made therefrom

Abstract

According to an embodiment, an electro-optic polymer comprises a host polymer and a guest nonlinear optical chromophore having the structure D-π-A, wherein: D is a donor, π is a π-bridge, and A is an acceptor; a bulky substituent group is covalently attached to at least one of D, π, or A; and the bulky substituent group has at least one non-covalent interaction with part of the host polymer that impedes chromophore depoling.

1 .- 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . An electro-optic polymer, comprising:
 a host polymer including host aryl groups; and   a guest nonlinear optical chromophore having the structure D-π-A, wherein D is an electron donor, π is an electronically conjugated bridge electronically conjugated to D, and A is an electron acceptor electronically conjugated to π and configured to exchange electron density with D through p-orbital electrons of π;   wherein the guest chromophore includes at least two guest aryl substituent groups covalently bound to the chromophore;   wherein each guest aryl substituent group is configured to non-covalently interact with one or more host aryl groups.   
     
     
         38 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 37 , wherein the chromophore is configured to be electrically poled into an alignment; and
 wherein the non-covalent interaction between each guest aryl substituent group and one or more host aryl groups is configured to impede chromophore depoling.   
     
     
         39 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 37 , wherein the chromophore is poled; and
 wherein the non-covalent interaction between at least a portion of the guest aryl substituent groups and one or more host aryl groups impedes chromophore depoling.   
     
     
         40 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 37 , wherein at least one of the guest aryl substituent groups is covalently bound to π. 
     
     
         41 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 40 , wherein at least one of the guest aryl substituent groups is covalently bound to D. 
     
     
         42 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 40 , wherein at least one of the guest aryl substituent groups is covalently bound to A. 
     
     
         43 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 37 , wherein the at least two guest aryl substituent groups each include a triaryl group. 
     
     
         44 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 43 , wherein the triaryl group has the structure 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein: D is a donor; π is a p-bridge; A is an acceptor; X is a substituent center; Ar 1 , Ar 2 , and Ar 3  are the aryl groups; and L is a covalent linker attached to the chromophore. 
       
     
     
         45 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 44 , wherein the substituent centers include a carbon atom or a silicon atom. 
     
     
         46 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 37 , wherein the two guest aryl groups comprise:
 an aryl ring, polycyclic aryl group, heterocyclic aryl group, or a polyheterocyclic aryl group.   
     
     
         47 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 37 , wherein the host polymer consists essentially of:
 a polysulfone; a polyester; a polycarbonate; a polyimide; a polyimideester; a polyarylether; a poly(methacrylic acid ester); a poly(ether ketone); a polybenzothiazole; a polybenzoxazole; a polybenzobisthiazole; a polybenzobisoxazole; a poly(aryl oxide); a polyetherimide; a polyfluorene; a polyarylenevinylene; a polyquinoline, a polyvinylcarbazole; or any copolymer thereof.   
     
     
         48 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 37 , wherein each guest aryl substituent group is configured to non-covalently interact with one or more host aryl groups via a physical interaction. 
     
     
         49 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 48 , wherein the physical interaction includes a physical interaction corresponding to a van der Waals force. 
     
     
         50 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 49 , wherein the van der Waals force includes at least one of a Keesom, Debye, or London force. 
     
     
         51 . The electro-optic polymer of  claim 48 , wherein each guest aryl substituent group is configured to non-covalently interact with one or more host aryl groups via a pi-interaction, a size interaction, or a preorganized binding interaction. 
     
     
         52 . An electro-optic device comprising the electro-optic polymer of  claim 37 . 
     
     
         53 . The electro-optic device of  claim 52 , wherein the electro-optic device includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a Michelson interferometer, a micro-ring resonator, or a directional coupler. 
     
     
         54 . An electro-optic device, comprising:
 an electro-optic waveguide core comprising an electro-optic polymer; and   a clad polymer having a refractive index lower than the electro-optic waveguide core; wherein:   the electro-optic polymer comprises:   a host polymer including host aryl groups; and   a guest nonlinear optical chromophore having the structure D-π-A, wherein D is an electron donor, π is an electronically conjugated bridge electronically conjugated to D, and A is an electron acceptor electronically conjugated to π and configured to exchange electron density with D through p-orbital electrons of π;   wherein the guest chromophore includes at least two guest aryl substituent groups covalently bound to the chromophore;   wherein each guest aryl substituent group is configured to non-covalently interact with one or more host aryl groups.   
     
     
         55 . The electro-optic device of  claim 54 , wherein the electro-optic device comprises:
 a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a Michelson interferometer, a micro-ring resonator, or a directional coupler.   
     
     
         56 . The electro-optic device of  claim 54 , wherein at least one of the guest aryl substituent groups is covalently bound to π. 
     
     
         57 . The electro-optic device of  claim 56 , wherein at least one of the guest aryl substituent groups is covalently bound to D. 
     
     
         58 . The electro-optic device of  claim 56 , wherein at least one of the guest aryl substituent groups is covalently bound to A. 
     
     
         59 . The electro-optic device of  claim 54 , wherein the at least two guest aryl substituent groups each include a triaryl group. 
     
     
         60 . A method for making an electro-optic device, comprising:
 providing a precursor for a host polymer, the precursor for the host polymer comprising guest aryl groups;   providing a guest optical chromophore, the guest chromophore comprising:
 the structure D-π-A, wherein D is an electron donor, π is an electronically conjugated bridge electronically conjugated to D, and A is an electron acceptor electronically conjugated to π and configured to exchange electron density with D through p-orbital electrons of π; and 
 at least two guest aryl substituent groups covalently bound to the chromophore; 
   mixing the precursor for the host polymer with the guest chromophore to form a precursor for an electro-optic polymer;   depositing the precursor for the electro-optic polymer on a substrate; and   poling the electro-optic polymer to cause the guest chromophore to align while causing the host polymer portion of the electro-optic polymer to polymerize to form the electro-optic polymer.   
     
     
         61 . The method for making an electro-optic device of  claim 60 , wherein at least a portion of the guest aryl substituent groups non-covalently interact with at least a portion of the host aryl groups to inhibit depoling of the guest chromophore in electro-optic polymer. 
     
     
         62 . The method for making an electro-optic device of  claim 60 , wherein providing a precursor for a host polymer comprises providing a precursor for a polysulfone; a polyester; a polycarbonate; a polyimide; a polyimideester; a polyarylether; a poly(methacrylic acid ester); a poly(ether ketone); a polybenzothiazole; a polybenzoxazole; a polybenzobisthiazole; a polybenzobisoxazole; a poly(aryl oxide); a polyetherimide; a polyfluorene; a polyarylenevinylene; a polyquinoline, a polyvinylcarbazole; or any copolymer thereof. 
     
     
         63 . The method for making an electro-optic device of  claim 60 , wherein at least one of the guest aryl substituent groups is covalently bound to π. 
     
     
         64 . The method for making an electro-optic device of  claim 63 , wherein at least one of the guest aryl substituent groups is covalently bound to D. 
     
     
         65 . The method for making an electro-optic device of  claim 63 , wherein at least one of the guest aryl substituent groups is covalently bound to A. 
     
     
         66 . The method for making an electro-optic device of  claim 60 , wherein the at least two guest aryl substituent groups each include a triaryl group.