Presents the most recent developments in second-order nonlinear optical polymers. Covers the most important technologies necessary to achieve commercially viable devices based on special polymeric materials with second-order nonlinear optical properties. Discusses important molecular design considerations, how to process the polymers into films, the stability of the films, their optical properties, and prototype devices that can be made from these films.

This book explores functional polymers containing aromatic azo chromophores in side-chain, main-chain and other parts of their structures, known as azo polymers and which share common photoresponsive properties. It focuses on the molecular architecture of azo polymers, the synthetic methods and their most important functions, such as photoinduced birefringence and dichroism, surface-relief-grating (SRG) formation, and light-driven deformation of liquid crystal elastomers. It combines a general survey of the subject and in-depth discussions of each topic, including numerous illustrations, figures, and photographs. Offering a balance between an introduction to the core concepts and a snapshot of hot and emerging topics, it is of interest to graduate students and researchers working in this and related fields. Xiaogong Wang is a Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, China.

The rapidly growing area of photonics plays a critical role in many segments of industry, such as optical communications, information storage, electronic display, and other areas, and is the subject of intense academic and industrial research. The Handbook of Photonics serves as a single-source reference book for this exciting field. The book is divided into three sections: Photonic Materials Photonic Devices and Optics Photonic Systems Each chapter within these sections is written by well-known and respected authors and covers the latest information in many of the important aspects of photonics. The Handbook of Photonics provides a complete reference for scientists, engineers, and students working in this field.

Interpenetrating polymer networks, IPNs, are combinations of two polymers in network form, synthesized and/or crosslinked in the immediate presence of each other. Different kinds of IPNs include the sequential, simultaneous, latex, thermoplastic and gradient types, each with a specific mode. IPNs have been in use since 1914 but have only been researched as a well-defined subject area since the early 1970's. Today, they are researched and used worldwide. This book is a collection of papers from around the world covering the broad areas of basic and applied research on IPNs with several mentions of applications.

This report discusses the use of the use of polymers instead of and in conjunction with, traditional platforms such as indium phosphide and ferroelectric ceramic lithium niobate. Critical comparisons are made between use of polymers and alternative. This review report gives an overview of all the elements of optical transmission and switching systems that are used in telecommunications and is a fully interdisciplinary account of materials and device design issues. An additional indexed section containing several hundred abstracts from the Rapra Polymer Library database gives useful references for further reading.