Claims
- 1. A method of making an optical device, comprising:
(a) providing a copolymer composition of the structural formula: 1wherein z is greater than or equal to 2, and wherein x and y each are greater than or equal to 1, respectively, and wherein the Ar and the Ar′ groups each comprise substituted or nonsubstituted aryls selected from the group comprising: 2(b) applying the copolymer composition by coating to form a film.
- 2. The method of claim 1 in which the copolymer is prepared from a trifluorovinyl aromatic ether.
- 3. The method of claim 1 in which the copolymer composition is spin coated.
- 4. The method of claim 1 in which the copolymer composition is coated by dipping.
- 5. The method of claim 1 in which the copolymer composition is dissolved in a solvent prior to coating the copolymer composition.
- 6. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of:
(c) thermally curing the film to form a cured thermoset film.
- 7. The method of claim 6 in which the thickness of the thermoset film is at least about 0.6 microns.
- 8. The method of claim 6 in which the thickness of the thermoset film is at least about 0.8 microns.
- 9. The method of claim 6 in which the thickness of the thermoset film is at least about 0.9 microns.
- 10. The method of claim 6 in which the thickness of the thermoset film is at least about 1 micron.
- 11. The method of claim 6 in which the thickness of the thermoset film is at least about 2 microns.
- 12. The method of claim 6 in which the thickness of the thermoset film is at least about 3 microns.
- 13. The method of claim 6 in which the thickness of the thermoset film is at least about 4 microns.
- 14. The method of claim 6 in which the thickness of the thermoset film is at least about 5 microns.
- 15. The method of claim 6 in which the thickness of the thermoset film is at least about 10 microns.
- 16. A method of making an optical device, comprising:
(a) providing a perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition, (b) coating the perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition upon a substrate to form a first film, and (c) thermally curing the first film to form a thermoset film.
- 17. The method of claim 16 in which the thermoset film comprises a substantially transparent polymeric core.
- 18. The method of claim 17 comprising the additional step of:
(d) applying cladding to the outer surface of the core to form an optical waveguide.
- 19. The method of claim 16 in which the coating step is accomplished by spin coating.
- 20. The method of claim 16 in which the-perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition is applied to the substrate in a solution having at least about 25% solids by weight.
- 21. The method of claim 16 in which the perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition is applied to the substrate in a solution having at least about 40% solids by weight.
- 22. The method of claim 16 in which the perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition is applied to the substrate in a solution having at least about 60% solids by weight.
- 23. The method of claim 16 in which the perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition is applied to the substrate in a solution having at least about 70% solids by weight.
- 24. The method of claim 16 in which the cured film comprises a thickness of at least about 1 micron.
- 25. The method of claim 16 in which the cured film comprises a thickness of at least about 2 microns.
- 26. The method of claim 16 in which the cured film comprises a thickness of at least about 3 microns.
- 27. The method of claim 16 the film is formed from a coating comprised from a mixture of perfluorocyclobutyl based homopolymers.
- 28. A method of making an optical device, comprising:
(a) providing a perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition, (b) spin coating the perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition upon a substrate to form a first film, and (c) thermally curing the first film to form a cured film having a thickness of at least about 2 micron.
- 29. An optical device constructed by the method of:
(a) providing a perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition having a solids content of at least about 50%, (b) spin coating the perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer composition upon a substrate to form a first film, and (c) thermally curing the first film to form an optical device, thereby forming an optical device having a cured film thickness of at least about 0.6 microns.
- 30. A solution for making an optical device in which the solution comprises a perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymer.
- 31. The solution of claim 30 in which the solution is composed of a mixture of perfluorocyclobutyl-based homopolymers.
- 32. The solution of claim 30 in which the solution comprises a mixture of at least two different perfluorocyclobutyl-based copolymers.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to U.S. Ser. No. 09/604,748, which is a regular U.S. utility patent application filed Jun. 27, 2000.