Spectral broadening measurements in poly(phenylene vinylene) polymer channel waveguides

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Abstract
In a polyconjugated main chain polymer strip waveguide the nonlinear, nonresonant refractive index n 2 was measured by monitoring the signal spectrum broadening due to self-phase modulation. The two photon absorption coefficient α 2 was obtained by calibrating the inverse transmission measurement. The nonlinear coefficients were determined to be n 2 =0.85×10 −14 cm −2 / W and α 2 = 0.08 cm/GW at a wavelength λ=885.6 nm. The used polymer was poly[1,4-phenylene1,2-di(phenoxyphenyl)vinylene]. The result is in good agreement with interferometer measurements. The material is suitable for all-optical switching.