Electro-optic polymer devices having high performance claddings, and methods of preparing the same

A method of preparing cladding materials for electro-optic devices, said method comprising:

• (a) selecting a first nonlinear optical chromophore of the general formula (I):
• D-Π-A (I)
• wherein D represents a first organic electron-donating group;
• A represents a first organic electron-accepting group having an electron affinity greater than the electron affinity of D;
• and H represents a first bridge covalently bonded to A and D;
• and dispersing a first amount of the first nonlinear optical chromophore in a first host polymer to form an electro-optic core material;
• (b) measuring an index of refraction of the electro-optic core material, and measuring a conductivity of the electro-optic core material at a poling temperature;
• (c) selecting a second nonlinear optical chromophore of the general formula (II):
• D′-Π′-A′ (II)
• wherein D′ represents a second organic electron-donating group, A′ represents a second organic electron-accepting group having an electron affinity greater than the electron affinity of D′, and H′ represents a second bridge covalently bonded to A′ and D′ and wherein the second bridge is less conjugated than the first bridge;
• (d) dispersing a second amount of the second nonlinear optical chromophore in a second host polymer to form an initial cladding material such that the second nonlinear optical chromophore is present in the second host polymer at the same concentration as the first nonlinear optical chromophore in the first host polymer;
• (e) measuring an index of refraction of the initial cladding material and a conductivity of the initial cladding material at the poling temperature;
• (f) confirming that the index of refraction of the initial cladding material is lower than the index of refraction of the electro-optic core material;
• and
• (g) adjusting the concentration of the second nonlinear optical chromophore in the second host polymer to form a final cladding material having a conductivity equal to or greater than at least 10% of the conductivity of the electro-optic polymer core material at the poling temperature.