Plastics and polymers for optical transmission.

The current status of worldwide research in the use of polymers as lightwave transmission media is examined. Plastic optical fibers based on perdeuterated poly(methyl methacrylate) with lowest losses of 20 dB/km were originally demonstrated in 1982. Current activity has focused on developing plastic fibers using new polymers and copolymers with improved temperature resistance and chemical durability for demanding environments such as the automobile engine compartment. Plastic optical components, including graded index lenses, couplers, splitters and film waveguide circuits, have been described. Novel polymerization techniques based on multiple monomer systems have been utilized to fabricate precisely controlled graded index structures and photolithographic methods have yielded waveguide circuits with losses below 0.2 dB/cm.