Waveguide photodegradation of nonlinear optical organic chromophores in polymeric films

Waveguide photodegradation studies have been carried out to investigate the photostabilities of a series of nonlinear optical chromophores doped into poly(methyl methacrylate) waveguide films. The films were exposed to optical wavelengths lying either within these materials' main absorption bands or in the near-infrared region. Degradation studies were carried out in air, vacuum, and nitrogen environments at room temperature. Experimental results indicate that the principal photodegradation mechanism in operation is photo-oxidation. A simple analytical model indicated the relative sensitivity to photo-oxidation of the materials studied.