Application of the polyconjugated main chain polymer DPOP-PPV for ultrafast all-optical switching in a nonlinear directional coupler Original Research Article

The observation of ultrafast all-optical switching in a polyconjugated main chain polymer (DPOP-PPV), nonlinear directional coupler at a wavelength with an energy below two-photon resonances is reported. The effect responsible for the switching is clearly the nonresonant instantaneous intensity dependent refractive index change. To our knowledge these results represent the first demonstration of an ultrafast device using a polyconjugated polymer, where the switching is not drastically limited by absorption processes.