Grating based electro-optic switch with azo nonlinear optical polymers

Depth grating was inscribed into nonlinear optical (NLO) polymers functionalized with azo chromophores by a simple interferometric apparatus using a continuous wave laser within the absorption bands of NLO polymer. An attenuation of more than 99.5% with a full width at half maximum of ∼ 1.4 nm was obtained for a single grating with a length of ∼ 1 mm . By making use of the Pockels effect, the refractive index of the poled polymer was changed, and consequently the Bragg wavelength and filter transmission shifted. An ∼ 0.17 nm shift in an applied field of about 116 V ∕ μ m was obtained in a weakly poled material.