Nonlinear polymeric films offer great promise for very fast opto- electronic devices. While further research is needed to obtain still more efficient nonlinear performance in robust, inexpensive materials, it is very important to proceed with device research. In particular, it is crucial to investigate the appropriateness of current materials for device applications. The best materials now offer electro-optical coefficients comparable to the best inorganics. Polymer thin films are attractive because they can be readily deposited on semiconductors and metals to create novel device structures. Such applications are beyond the capabilities of the standard inorganic materials. However, still larger electro-optic coefficients will be needed to obtain useful effects in such thin films. Thus, this proposal addresses the need for interferometric structures which rely on multiple-pass optical structures to provide large enhancement of the electro-optical coupling. If significant improvements in molecules and film quality are not forthcoming, such multiple-pass devices may be the only practical use in electronics of the organic and polymeric nonlinear materials. If such improvements are obtained, interferometric devices will still offer much larger sensitivity than single pass devices, providing enhanced performance. A variety of multilayer film structures will be analyzed, fabricated and tested. Particular attention will be paid to global optical interconnects between integrated circuit processors and memory.
