Low‐loss passive polymer waveguides by using chlorofluorinated polyimides

Chlorofluorinated polyimides were prepared from 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA), 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4,4′-diaminobiphenyl (PFMB), and 2,2′-dichloro-4,4′-diaminobiphenyl (DCB) for optical waveguide applications. The resulting optical polymers exhibited good thermal stability, controllable refractive index, and low optical loss in the optical communication wavelengths of 1.3 and 1.55 µm. The control of refractive indices of the polymers was achieved by copolymerization of 6FDA/PFMB and 6FDA/DCB. As the amount of DCB was increased, the refractive indices of polymer were increased. The effect of addition of chlorine on optical properties of polymers such as absorption loss in the near-IR region were also investigated. Rib-type optical waveguides were fabricated using these chlorofluorinated polyimides. These waveguides exhibited low loss of less than 0.4 dB/cm for both TE and TM polarizations. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 107–112, 1999