Nonlinear optical (NLO) polymer is emerging as a new alternative material for a wavelength converter in optical fiber communication systems. We designed and synthesized a polyetherimide-based side-chain polymer with a 4-(dialkylamino)-4′(-(styrylsulfonyl)-stilbene chromophore as a new NLO polymer. We designed and fabricated periodically-poled NLO polymer waveguides for the wavelength converter. Difference-frequency generation (DFG) process with a quasi-phase-matching (QPM) scheme was used. For the first time, we demonstrated a wavelength converter with a DFG conversion efficiency of -47 dB in the periodically-poled NLO polymer waveguides, operating at ~ 1.55 μm.
