Phosphorus containing poly(arylene ether)s useful as oxygen plasma resistant films and in nonlinear optical applications

Polymers containing the phosphine oxide moiety are identified as being particularly useful in applications where resistance to atomic oxygen etching is required and in applications where second order nonlinear optical effects will be utilized. Particularly preferred polymers for these two applications include poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide)s (PEPOS), and novel PEPOS which include phenolphthalein sub-units and derivatives thereof have been prepared.