Induced chirality in a polyisocyanate polymeric film and the change in polarization rotation under an external electric field

Abstract

A polyisocyanate random copolymer that contains an asymmetric chiral carbon center and Disperse Red 1 dye nonlinear optical chromophores is synthesized. The optical activity is measured in the visible and near-infrared spectral ranges, confirming the existence of induced optical chirality in the copolymer film. On application of a corona field to the slab waveguide copolymer film, the polarization rotation at the wavelength of 1.3 μm is changed, opening the possibility of chiral electro-optic modulation in a chiral polymeric waveguide thin film. © 2001 Optical Society of America.