Abstract

A number of research groups have recently applied piezoelectric polymer jackets to optical fibers for use as electric field sensors or optical phase modulators. In either application, the performance of the device depends on the strength of the piezoactivity of the polymer coating. This in turn depends on, among other things, molecular orientations in the polymer material. Recent measurements of the performance of such coated fibers have found values for electrically induced optical phase shifts somewhat lower (factors of 2-4) than those expected from considerations based on the bulk properties of the piezoelectric materials.¹

© 1985 Optical Society of America