Efficient second harmonic generation in polymeric channel waveguides using modal dispersion

Summary form only given. Second harmonic generation (SHG) is getting renewed attention through possible applications to all-optical switching, spatial solitary waves, etc. through cascading. Phase matching with use of modal dispersion, first demonstrated in thin films in the early 1970s, typically requires excellent control of the waveguide thickness, but can be easily implemented in low loss configurations, since it does not require any modulation of waveguide parameters along the propagation. We demonstrate efficient SHG in a channel waveguide made of DANS (4-dimethylamino-4´-nitrostilbene) side-chain polymer with a figure of merit /spl eta/=1.2%/W-cm/sup 2/ over a phase-matched length of 0.3 cm, which is, to our knowledge, the best combined values reported for poled polymers to date.