Functionalized fluorinated hyperbranched polymers for optical waveguide applications

Fluorinated dendritic or hyperbranched polymers are demonstrated for the first time to be potentially useful for optical waveguide applications, for example in telecommunications. The required materials properties include the control of the refractive index over a wide range and UV-crosslinking for ease of processing and stable long-term mechanical properties. The authors report the synthesis of suitable functionalized fluorinated hyperbranched polymers and how the above requirements can be met by functionalization at the periphery of the polymers.