Polymeric waveguide electro-optic beam-steering device with DNA biopolymer conductive cladding layers

Abstract

A polymer electro-optic (EO) waveguide beam-steering device with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) biopolymer conductive cladding layers and a core layer of the commercially available EO polymer SEO100 is demonstrated with 100% relative poling efficiency. This demonstration device exhibits a deflection efficiency of 99 mrad∕kV with a corresponding in-device EO coefficient r 33 of 124 pm∕V at 1550 nm. When the DNA biopolymer bottom cladding layer is replaced by the commonly used cladding polymer UV15, the deflection efficiency and in-device r 33 drop to 34 mrad∕kV and 43 pm∕V, respectively. © 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Advances in DNA photonics

“…An EO waveguide beam steering device was designed; although performance was limited to DC testing and not high frequency [23]. The EO beam steering device described here is similar to the one reported by Sun et al and is based on the concept that the propagation direction of a laser beam can be changed by applying an electric field to the EO medium to induce a change in refractive index [24].…”

“…(b) IR image in the dark showing a bright spot at the cut. (c) Magnified view of the bright spot[23].…”

“…(b) Diagram showing the definition of the effective deflection angle  eff and itsrelationship to the beam displacement y at a distance L from the first deflection point[23].…”

Characterisation of DNA biopolymer‐based UV photodetector fabricated by inkjet printing

“…DNA‐based biopolymers also combine well with a variety of other materials including dyes, chromophores and rare earth compounds, allowing for easy doping and property modification [9]. Finally, these biopolymers adhere well to other polymers as demonstrated in a multilayer polymeric waveguide device [10]. DNA‐CTMA has been demonstrated as a primer coating on a P3HT:phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl (PCBM) surface before printing Clevios P to promote uniform adhesion [11].…”

Nanoimprint lithography of deoxyribonucleic acid biopolymer films

“…Compared to the standard cladding material UV15 commonly used in these devices, the DNA biopolymer cladding layer yields polymer waveguide devices with EO coefficients 2× greater, optical losses more than an order of magnitude lower, and increased solvent compatibility with common polymer core materials. 5,6 However, patterned EO modulators have yet to be fabricated that take advantage of these enhanced material properties due to the incompatibility of the DNA biopolymer with photolithography and chemical processing techniques. As an alternative to photolithography, thermal nanoimprint lithography (NIL) has been identified as a technique for pattering the DNA biopolymer.…”