Waveguiding in spun films of soluble polydiacetylenes

Abstract
In prism coupling experiments, the guiding of 1.06 μm light over 3 cm pathlengths was demonstrated in thin spun films of soluble polydiacetylenes. From measurements of the intensity of scattered light, we estimate the transmission losses in the films were as low as 1 dB/cm. Although spun films appeared isotropic when examined under polarized light, the coupling angle observed for the TM waveguide mode was ∼6° higher than that of the TE mode, implying that the films were istropic in the plane of the film, but the refractive index normal to the plane of the film was lower.