Electro-optic Polymer Waveguides with Conductive Clads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Realizing high electro-optic activity in electro-optic polymer devices is challenging due to passive polymers used as optical waveguide clads shielding the electric field, making it difficult to fabricate practical devices with low drive voltage, as conducting polymers are not processable and inorganic salts are not soluble in organic polymers.
Innovation Solution
A crosslinked polymer clad with a constitutional unit derived from a compound having specific structural features, such as an alkoxy capped oligoalkylene group, is used to enhance processability and reduce resistivity, allowing the electric field to effectively interact with the electro-optic polymer core, thereby increasing electro-optic activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If passive polymers are used as optical waveguide clads, then the device structure is simple and processable, but the electro-optic activity is substantially decreased due to shielding of the electric field
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameter (resistivity) of the clad polymer by incorporating conducting polymers or inorganic salts, transforming it from a passive insulating material to a material with controlled conductivity that allows electric field penetration while maintaining processability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite polymer materials by combining passive polymer matrices with conducting polymer components or inorganic salt additives, achieving a balance between processability (from the polymer matrix) and electric field transmission (from the conducting components)
2Reliability
If conducting polymers are used as waveguide clads, then the electro-optic activity is improved by allowing electric field interaction, but the processability and fabrication difficulty increases due to poor solubility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using the passive polymer as the continuous matrix for processability while dispersing conducting polymer or inorganic salt components locally within the matrix to provide electric field transmission pathways without requiring the entire material to be conducting
3Reliability
If inorganic salts are introduced into the organic polymer, then the resistivity is reduced to improve electric field interaction, but the solubility and processing difficulty decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by dispersing inorganic salt particles or molecules locally within the organic polymer matrix, creating conductive pathways where needed while maintaining the overall solubility and processability of the organic polymer host material
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The crosslinked polymer clad enables the realization of high electro-optic activity in devices like modulators and organic light emitting diodes, improving their performance and processability, leading to devices with lower drive voltage requirements.
Implementation Method 1
Electro-optic polymers have high electro-optic activity, which may lead to optical modulators and devices that have low drive voltage
Data Source
AI summary
An electro-optic waveguide device comprising an electro-optic polymer core and at least one crosslinked polymer clad, wherein the crosslinked polymer clad is comprised of a first constitutional unit derived from a compound having the formulawherein, m=0-6; n=0-1; q=1-3; y=0-3; Ar1 is an aryl or heteroaryl group; and independently at each occurrence p=0-1; R is an alkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl group; Ar2 is an aryl or heteroaryl group; and X is a crosslinkable group. The R group may be an alkyl or heteroalkyl group with at least 6 atoms in a straight chain. In some embodiments, the R group is an alkoxy capped oligoalkylene group. Other embodiments include a polymer comprising a first constitutional unit derived from a compound having the formula described above.