Abstract: The invention is directed to polymerizable vinyl compounds having halogenated aromatic groups and to a method of synthesizing such compounds. In particular, the invention is directed to polymerizable aromatic vinyl compounds wherein, except for the vinylic hydrogen atoms, aromatic C—H bonds are replaced by C—X bonds, where X is a halogen or other selected substituent having a de minimus number, if any, of C—H bonds; for example, without limitation, highly fluorinated fluoroalkanes. In addition, the compounds of the invention have a de minimus number, if any, of N—H and O—H bonds.

Abstract: The invention is directed to polymerizable vinyl compounds having halogenated aromatic groups and to a method of synthesizing such compounds. In particular, the invention is directed to polymerizable aromatic vinyl compounds wherein, except for the vinylic hydrogen atoms, aromatic C—H bonds are replaced by C—X bonds, where X is a halogen or other selected substituent having a de minimus number, if any, of C—H bonds; for example, without limitation, highly fluorinated fluoroalkanes. In addition, the compounds of the invention have a de minimus number, if any, of N—H and O—H bonds.

Abstract: The invention is directed to polymerizable vinyl compounds having halogenated aromatic groups and to a method of synthesizing such compounds. In particular, the invention is directed to polymerizable aromatic vinyl compounds wherein, except for the vinylic hydrogen atoms, aromatic C—H bonds are replaced by C—X bonds, where X is a halogen or other selected substituent having a de minimus number, if any, of C—H bonds; for example, without limitation, highly fluorinated fluoroalkanes. In addition, the compounds of the invention have a de minimus number, if any, of N—H and O—H bonds.

Abstract: The invention is directed to polymerizable vinyl compounds having halogenated aromatic groups and to a method of synthesizing such compounds. In particular, the invention is directed to polymerizable aromatic vinyl compounds wherein, except for the vinylic hydrogen atoms, aromatic C—H bonds are replaced by C—X bonds, where X is a halogen or other selected substituent having a de minimus number, if any, of C—H bonds; for example, without limitation, highly fluorinated fluoroalkanes. In addition, the compounds of the invention have a de minimus number, if any, of N—H and O—H bonds.

Abstract: An optical device for use with an optical signal propagating therein comprising a first waveguide having a core which is terminated at an endface, in which either (a) the endface of the waveguide is uncontrolled (for instance not being smooth, not being optically flat, and/or not being at an angle optimised to avoid deleterious back-reflection) or (b) the first waveguide a polymer waveguide or (c) both. A second waveguide is terminated at an endface within about 50 &mgr;m of the endface of the first waveguide so that the waveguides are optically coupled. A pigtailing material is situated in the gap between the first waveguide and the second waveguide and has a refractive index within about 0.03 of the refractive index of the core of the first waveguide. When the first waveguide is a polymer waveguide, its core preferably has an effective refractive index either less than about 1.4 or greater than about 1.57 (at 1550 nm).

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of tuning the optical properties, such as the channel center wavelengths, of an integrated optical waveguide device by providing a device, such as a wavelength division multiplexer or demultiplexer, which contains an organic material, and fine tuning the device by exposing the organic material to at least one incremental step of UV irradiation.

Abstract: An athermalized optical waveguide circuit device exhibiting reduced signal power losses includes an optical phased-array comprising a plurality of curved waveguide cores of different lengths supported on a planar substrate, wherein each of the waveguide cores of the array includes a first silica segment, a second silica segment, and a central polymer segment connecting the first silica segment with the second silica segment to form a continuous waveguide core.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of tuning the optical properties, such as the channel center wavelengths, of an integrated optical waveguide device by providing a device, such as a wavelength division multiplexer or demultiplexer, which contains an organic material, and fine tuning the device by exposing the organic material to at least one incremental step of UV irradiation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to free radical captors, especially to radical polymerization inhibitors or retarders which, characteristically, are immobilized on a solid support. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing said immobilized captors, and to a method of stabilizing, at least temporarily, molecules or mixtures of molecules which makes use of said immobilized captors.

Abstract: An optical device which utilizes a photothermal optical effect to achieve switching or attenuation includes a waveguide defined by a waveguide core and a surrounding cladding, wherein the polymer waveguide core includes a region consisting of a photothermally responsive material having an absorption coefficient at a switch wavelength or attenuation wavelength that is higher than an absorption coefficient at a signal wavelength. Switching devices include an optical splitter circuit having a branch that includes the photothermally responsive material, and either a multiplexer for introducing light at the switch wavelength into the optical circuit or a light source focused at the photothermally responsive material. Attenuating devices include a Mach-Zehnder type interferometer having a branch that includes the photothermally responsive material and either a multiplexer for introducing light at the attenuation wavelength into the optical circuit or a light source focused at the photothermally responsive material.

Abstract: The present invention provides an athermalized organic-containing overclad integrated planar optical waveguide circuit device in which thermal induced shifting of channel wavelengths is minimized. The organic-containing overclad material is combined with a silica or doped silica glass material in the form of a local overclad, a bi-layer overclad, or a hybrid overclad. The organic-containing overclad material is a polymer or a sol-gel material.

Abstract: An optical device which utilizes a photothermal optical effect to achieve switching or attenuation includes a waveguide defined by a waveguide core and a surrounding cladding, wherein the polymer waveguide core includes a region consisting of a photothermally responsive material having an absorption coefficient at a switch wavelength or attenuation wavelength that is higher than an absorption coefficient at a signal wavelength. Switching devices include an optical splitter circuit having a branch that includes the photothermally responsive material, and either a multiplexer for introducing light at the switch wavelength into the optical circuit or a light source focused at the photothermally responsive material. Attenuating devices include a Mach-Zehnder type interferometer having a branch that includes the photothermally responsive material and either a multiplexer for introducing light at the attenuation wavelength into the optical circuit or a light source focused at the photothermally responsive material.

Abstract: An athermalized, polymer overclad integrated optical device (with a multiplexer/demultiplexer or a Mach-Zender interferometer being representative examples) in which thermally-induced shifts in channel wavelengths are minimized. The device includes a doped silica waveguide core on a planar substrate and a polymer overclad having a negative variation in refractive index versus temperature (dn/dT) to inhibit shifts in the channel wavelengths.

Abstract: The present invention provides an athermalized organic-containing overclad integrated planar optical waveguide circuit device in which thermal induced shifting of channel wavelengths is minimized. The organic-containing overclad material is combined with a silica or doped silica glass material in the form of a local overclad, a bi-layer overclad, or a hybrid overclad. The organic-containing overclad material is a polymer or a sol-gel material.

Abstract: An asymmetric thermo-optical switch uses materials having different dn/dT coefficients. A first waveguide is constructed on a planar substrate using a material that has a first dn/dT coefficient. A second waveguide is constructed on the planar substrate using a second material that has a second dn/dT coefficient. In a first embodiment, a coupling region is formed between the first and second waveguides. An index-adjusting switch element is deposited on a first side of the device over the coupling region to control the proportion of light coupled between the waveguides. In a second embodiment, a splitting region is formed by connecting the second waveguide to the first waveguide, at a middle portion of the first waveguide. An index-adjusting switch element is deposited on a first side of the device over the splitting region to control the proportion of light split between the waveguides.