Waveguide applications of nonlinear optical polymer electrets with three-dimensional patterning of the dipole polarization

Advanced integrated optical devices with poled polymers require various dipole-orientation patterns. Besides parallel and perpendicular orientations with respect to the film plane, periodic poling structures with alternating polarity along the waveguide direction and with step-like profiles across the active-layer thickness are needed. The nondestructive investigation of the various dipole orientation patterns with electro-optical and pyroelectrical microscopes is described. Applications include mode filtering, polarization-independent light modulation, phase-matched as well as quasi-phase-matched collinear and counterpropagating second-harmonic generation.