Polymers for optoelectronics

This paper discusses polymers for optoelectronics, especially plastic optical fibers (POFs) for near‐infrared (near‐IR) use and polymeric nonlinear optical materials expected for use as switching devices. Near‐IR transmissible plastic optical fibers are investigated using fluorination and deuteration for conventional polymers. Among them pentafluoro‐trideutero‐styrene polymer core POF has excellent transparency in the near‐IR region even after water vapor absorption. Nonlinear optical polymeric materials with excellent processibilities are also investigated. The third‐order nonlinear optical susceptibility of poly‐aromatic vinylene thin film was measured and revealed to have a higher susceptibility than previously reported.