Polymeric compositions for forming optical waveguides;...

Details Polymeric compositions for forming optical waveguides;... Polymeric compositions for forming optical waveguides;...

2001-07-27

2003-03-25

Pezzuto, Helen L. (Department: 1713)

Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser

Synthetic resins

Polymers from only ethylenic monomers or processes of...

C526S259000, C526S263000, C526S264000, C526S266000, C526S269000, C526S286000, C526S291000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06538087

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention herein described relates generally to polymeric compositions for forming optical waveguides and methods for forming such optical waveguides using the same. In particular, the present invention relates to polymers made from at least one cyclic olefin monomer which can be used to form optical waveguides using either a clad-first or core first technique.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The demand for continuous increase in transmission speed, data capacity and data density in integrated optical and optoelectronic circuits has been the motivating force behind numerous innovations in areas of broadband communications, high-capacity information storage, and large screen and portable information display. Although glass optical fibers are routinely used for high-speed data transfer over long distances, they are inconvenient for complex high-density circuitry because of their high density, poor durability and high cost of fabrication for complex photonic circuits. As such, polymeric materials hold great promise for constructing cost effective, reliable, passive and active integrated components capable of performing the required functions for integrated optics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to polymeric compositions for forming optical waveguides and methods for forming such optical waveguides using the same. In particular, the present invention relates to polymers made from at least one cyclic olefin monomer which can be used to form optical waveguides using either a clad-first or core first technique.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to polycyclic polymer compositions formed from one or more monomers or oligomers represented by the following structure:
wherein each X′″ independently represents oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or a methylene group of the formula —(CH
2
)
n′
— where n′ is an integer of 1 to 5; “a” represents a single or double bond; R
1
to R
4
independently represent a hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl, or a functional substituent; and m is an integer from 0 to 5, with the proviso that when “a” is a double bond one of R
1
, R
2
and one of R
3
, R
4
are not present.
In another embodiment, R
1
to R
4
independently comprises a hydrocarbyl, a halogenated hydrocarbyl or a perhalogenated hydrocarbyl group which are selected from: i) linear or branched C
1
-C
10
alkyl groups; ii) linear or branched C
2
-C
10
alkenyl groups; iii) linear or branched C
2
-C
10
alkynyl groups; iv) C
4
-C
12
cycloalkyl groups; v) C
4
-C
12
cycloalkenyl groups; vi) C
6
-C
12
aryl groups; and vii) C
7
-C
24
aralkyl groups, provided that at least one of R
1
to R
4
is a hydrocarbyl group.
In another embodiment, one or more of R
1
to R
4
represent a functional substituent independently selected from —(CH
2
)
n
—CH(CF
3
)
2
—O—Si(Me)
3
, —(CH
2
)
n
—CH(CF
3
)
2
—O—CH
2
—O—CH
3
, —(CH
2
)
n
—CH(CF
3
)
2
—O—C(O)—O—C(CH
3
), —(CH
2
)
n
—C(CF
3
)
2
—OH, —(CH
2
)
n
C(O)NH
2
, —(CH
2
)
n
C(O)Cl, —(CH
2
)
n
C(O)OR
5
, —(CH
2
)
n
—OR
5
, —(CH
2
)
n
—OC(O)R
5
, —(CH
2
)
n
—C(O)R
5
, —(CH
2
)
n
—OC(O)OR
5
, —(CH
2
)
n
Si(R
5
)
3
, —(CH
2
)
n
Si(OR
5
)
3
, —(CH
2
)
n
—O—Si(R
5
)
3
, and —(CH
2
)
n
C(O)OR
6
where in independently represents an integer from 0 to 10, R
5
independetyl represents a hydrogen, a linear or branched C
1
-C
20
alkyl group, a linear or branched C
1
-C
20
halogenated or perhalogenated alkyl group, a linear or branched C
2
-C
10
alkenyl group, a linear or branched C
2
-C
10
alkynyl group, a C
5
-C
12
cycloalkyl group, a C
6
-C
14
aryl group, a C
6
-C
14
halogenated or perhalogenated aryl group and a C
7
-C
24
aralkyl group; and R
6
is selected from —C(CH
3
)
3
, —Si(CH
3
)
3
, —CH(R
7
)OCH
2
CH
3
, —CH(R
7
)OC(CH
3
)
3
or one of the following cyclic groups:
or one of the following:
wherein R
7
represents a hydrogen or a linear or branched (C
1
-C
5
) alkyl group.
In still another embodiment, a polymer composition in accordance with the present invention is formed from one or more monomers or oligomers as described herein in combination with one or more crosslinking agents. Furthermore, in still another embodiment, the one or more crosslinking agents are latent crosslinking agents.
In one embodiment, the at least one crosslinking agent can be the compound shown below:
In yet another embodiment, the one or more crosslinking agents are represented by one or more of the following structures:
In yet another embodiment, the present invention relates to polycyclic polymer compositions formed from one or more monomers or oligomers represented by the following structure:
wherein each X′″ independently represents oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or a methylene group of the formula —(CH
2
)
n′
— where n′ is an integer of 1 to 5; Q represents an oxygen atom or the group N(R
8
); R
8
is selected from hydrogen, a halogen, a linear or branched C
1
-C
10
alkyl, and C
6
-C
18
aryl; and m is an integer from 0 to 5.
In yet another embodiment, a polycyclic polymer composition formed from one or more monomers represented by the following structure:
wherein X′″ represents oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or a methylene group of the formula —(CH
2
)
n′
— where n′ is an integer of 1 to 5; R
D
is deuterium, “i” is an integer ranging from 0 to 6, with the proviso that when “i” is 0, at least one of R
1D
and R
2D
must be present; R
1
and R
2
independently represent a hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl, or a functional substituent; and R
1D
and R
2D
, which are optional, independently represent a deuterium atom or a deuterium enriched hydrocarbyl group containing at least one deuterium atom.
In another embodiment, a polymer composition for use in a waveguide is produced from one or more monomers or oligomers described.
In still another embodiment, a polymer composition according to the present invention further includes at least one crosslinking agent. In one embodiment, the crosslinking agent is a latent crosslinking agent.
The present invention is advantageous in that it provides polymer compositions which permit the formation of optical waveguides having better performance qualities such as, for example, a difference (&Dgr;n) in the refractive index of the core material versus that of the clad material of at least about 0.00075 (i.e., at least about 0.05% where the clad or cladding material has a refractive index of about 1.5) for over a broad wavelength range (e.g., about 400 to about 1600 nm); lower intrinsic optical loss (lower than about 1 dB/cm and in some cases lower than about 0.5 dB/cm); a high glass transition temperature (Tg) (e.g., in one embodiment at least about 150° C., in another embodiment at least about 250° C., and in some cases at least about 280° C.).
Additionally, the present invention is advantageous in that it provides core and/or cladding compositions which can have a low viscosity or viscosities so as to be deliverable by any suitable technique, including ink jet printers, screen printers or stencil printers. Furthermore, the disclosed core-first method for forming optical waveguides is advantageous in that it permits the formation of optical waveguides with a reduction and/or elimination in the occurrence of “swelling” between layers (see
FIGS. 5A and 5B
for a photographic depiction of “swelling”). Thus, the core-first method permits the formation of improved waveguides.
The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail one or more illustrative embodiments of the invention, such being indicative, however, of but one or a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4857426 (1989-08-01), Bott et al.
patent: 5046800 (1991-09-01), Byler, Jr. et al.
patent: 5054872 (1991-10-01), Fan et al.
patent: 5087677 (1992-02-01), Brekner et al.
patent: 5254655 (1993-10-01), Gibbons et al.
patent: 5265184 (1993-11-01), Lebby et al.
patent: 5298

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Polymeric compositions for forming optical waveguides;... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Polymeric compositions for forming optical waveguides;..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Polymeric compositions for forming optical waveguides;... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3010961