Abstract: A fluorinated polymerizable compound useful for fabricating planar optical devices includes at least one fluorinated alkylene or alkylene ether moiety and at least two terminal acrylate moieties, each terminal acrylate moiety being connected to one of the fluorinated alkylene or fluorinated alklene ether moieties by an ester linking group. The fluorinated polymerizable compounds, or macromers, of this invention are useful for forming optical components exhibiting a refractive index comparable to that of glass fiber waveguides, while also exhibiting very low absorption losses. Polymerizable compositions suitable for preparing optical components can be prepared by combining the macromers of the invention with a photoinitiator. Conventional optical monomers may also be employed, if desired.

Abstract: The invention provides organic optical waveguide devices which are lithographically formed and employ polymeric materials having low propagation loss. An optical waveguide has a substrate; a polymeric buffer layer on a surface of the substrate; a thin, polymeric undercladding layer on a surface of the buffer layer; a pattern of a light-transmissive, polymeric core on the surface of the undercladding layer; and a polymeric overcladding layer on a top surface of the core and on sidewalls of the core and on a portion of the undercladding layer; the undercladding layer having a thickness of from about 10 percent to about 50 percent a thickness of the core. The core has an index of refraction nc which is greater than an index of refraction of the overcladding layer no and also greater than an index of refraction of the undercladding layer nu; wherein &Dgr;n=nc−no, and wherein the difference between nc and the index of refraction of the buffer nb is at least about 1.5 times &Dgr;n.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process a process for forming single-mode, organic waveguides employing organic polymeric materials. The process reduces dissolved and gaseous oxygen content to very low quantities, resulting in production of waveguides having superior properties and manufacturability. Also provided is a process for preventing loss of light due to cores having flared ends. A waveguide is produced by sequentially a layer of a liquid, photosensitive buffer and clad composition to a surface of a substrate; deoxygenating under vacuum; overall exposing under an inert gas actinic radiation to partially polymerize the compositions below a full curing.

Abstract: The invention provides organic optical waveguide devices which are lithographically formed and employ polymeric materials having low optical loss, good long term and short term stability, good flexibility and reduced stress or crack induced scattering loss. An optical element has a substrate; a patterned, light transmissive core composition on the surface of the substrate; and a light reflecting cladding composition on the pattern of the core. The core composition has a glass transition temperature of about 80° C. or less and the cladding composition has a glass transition temperature of about 60° C. or less.

Abstract: The invention provides organic optical waveguide devices which are lithographically formed and employ polymeric materials having low optical loss, good long term and short term stability, good flexibility and reduced stress or crack induced scattering loss. An optical element has a substrate; a patterned, light transmissive core composition on the surface of the substrate; and a light reflecting cladding composition on the pattern of the core. The core composition has a glass transition temperature of about 80° C. or less and the cladding composition has a glass transition temperature of about 60° C. or less.

Abstract: The invention relates to the art of optical fiber splicing. More particularly, the invention pertains to methods of splicing optical fibers with other optical fibers or optical waveguides. The invention provides optical fiber splicing elements useful for coupling optical fibers and for alignment of optical fibers with waveguides. The splicing elements allow for accurate lateral and longitudinal alignment and improved collinearity of spliced optical fibers, achieving low coupling loss.

Abstract: The invention relates to a micro-optic switch used for transmitting optical signals between optical fibers. More particularly, the invention pertains to a micro-optic switch using polymer structures to position a microactuator and optical fibers on a substrate so that the microactuator can move an optical fiber cantilever between two fixed fibers to transmit optical signals between either one of the fixed fibers and the cantilever fiber. Using polymers instead of micromachined structures to position components of the switch reduces cost and simplifies assembly. The invention further provides processes for producing a micro-optic switch and for switching the path of an optical signal.

Abstract: The invention provides improved high contrast, photopolymerizable compositions suitable for producing high contrast waveguides. The high contrast, photopolymerizable compositions of this invention include a nitrone compound component. The photosensitive composition is an admixture of a free radical polymerizable acrylate or methacrylate component having at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups, a photoinitiator, and a nitrone compound.

Abstract: The invention provides a waveguide connector assembly for the precision interconnection of mating arrays of parallel optical waveguides which are preferably photolithographically formed on substrates. The connector assembly has a base with several parallel channel walls cut along a surface of the base. A waveguide assembly is positioned on the base. The waveguide assembly comprises a substrate and several transparent, polymeric waveguides on and raised from a surface of the substrate. The waveguides have a polygonal cross section with flat edges. The waveguide assembly is positioned on the base such that each of the waveguides is set in one of the channels and contacts the walls of the channel at two or more points. A cover plate holds the waveguide assembly on the base.

Abstract: An electrically conductive conjugated polymer particle comprising an ionized electrically conductive substituted or unsubstituted conjugated polymer doped with one or more dopant solutes having one or more anionic moieties at least one of said dopants predominating at or near the surface of said particle having at least one aliphatic chain of at least 3 carbon atoms wherein the sum of such chains contain at least 12 aliphatic carbon atoms when an anionic functionality is bonded directly to an aromatic moiety and at least about 6 carbon atoms when the anionic functionality is bonded directly to an aliphatic moiety.

Abstract: Electrically conductive polymer blends are produced from an insulating thermoplastic polymer phase and a conductivity enhancing composition that forms a continuous conductive phase and includes an intrinsically conductive polymer salt that is incompatible with the thermoplastic polymer, a thermoplastic conductive phase polymer and a plasticizer that is capable of compatibilizing the conductive phase polymer and the intrinsically conductive polymer salt. The intrinsically conductive polymer salt is concentrated in the continuous conductive phase Methods are also provided for the preparation of these conductive polymer blends.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved anti-corrosion paint of the type comprising one or more polymeric binders dispersed in a liquid medium, said improvement comprising an anti-corrosion effective amount of one or more non-conductive conjugated polymers.

Abstract: The invention provides a low stress optical waveguide assembly wherein one or more waveguide cores have a conformal cladding in register the waveguide core. The core and cladding are preferably lithographically formed on a substrate. A connector assembly provides for the precision interconnection of mating arrays of parallel optical waveguides. The connector assembly has a base with several parallel channel walls cut along a surface of the base. A waveguide assembly is positioned on the base. The waveguide assembly comprises a substrate and one or more transparent, polymeric waveguides on and raised from a surface of the substrate. A conformal cladding is in register with the waveguide core. Such conformal cladding contributes to a reduction in waveguide stress. The waveguide assembly is positioned on the base such that each of the waveguides is set in one of the channels and contacts the walls of the channel. A cover plate holds the waveguide assembly on the base.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved anti-corrosion paint of the type comprising one or more polymeric binders dispersed in a liquid medium, said improvement comprising an anti-corrosion effective amount of one or more non-conductive conjugated polymers.

Abstract: An electrically conductive coating composition includes an intrinsically conductive polymer dispersed in a film-forming thermoplastic matrix. The coating composition also includes at least one organic solvent capable of dissolving the dispersion. A method according to the invention includes the steps of preparing a dispersion of an intrinsically conductive polymer in a film-forming thermoplastic matrix. The method also includes the steps of dissolving the dispersion in an organic solvent and forming a film from the dissolved dispersion.

Abstract: This invention relates to thermally stable electrically conductive conjugated polymer complexes comprising a substituted or unsubstituted positively charged conjugated polymer doped with a dopant anion substituted with one or more anionic functionalities as for example a sulfonate or phosphonate functionalities, and substituted with one or more hydrogen bonding groups such as hydroxyl or carboxyl.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process of forming liquid or solid blends, solutions, or dispersions of electrically conductive doped conjugated polymer dissolved or dispersed in a liquid or polymeric matrix.

Abstract: This invention relates to thermally stable electrically conductive conjugated polymer comprising a conjugated polymer cation such as a substituted or unsubstituted polyaniline doped with a dopant anion substituted with one or more polar groups such as hydroxy, the polar group having an electronegativity or an electropositivity such that said polar group or groups have a net polar group molar contribution greater than zero.

Abstract: A electrically conductive polyaniline particle comprising a substituted or unsubstituted polyaniline doped with two or more dopants, at least one of said dopants predominating at or near the surface of said particles and at least one other dopant predominating at or near the core of said particle.

Abstract: This invention relates to a solution or plasticized composition comprising one or more polyanilines, and one or more solvents capable of dissolving said polyanilines.