Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 February 2011
Preparation and characterization of novel dye-doped polyimide films for electrooptics is described. Thermal stabilities of donor-acceptor 2,5-diaryl oxazoles were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry. Absorptive losses in thin films of Ultradel 9000D® doped with donor-acceptor oxazoles were measured by photothermal deflection spectroscopy. Absorptive losses at high doping levels may be explainable by dye-dye aggregation or dye degradation during the curing process. Lower doping levels, however, show losses of ≤ 3.0 dB/cm at 830 nm and ≤ 2.4 dB/cm at 1320 nm.