Fluorinated and chlorofluorinated polyimides with high thermal stability and low optical absorption loss in the optical communication wavelengths of 1.3 and 1.55 mu m were investigated for low-loss passive waveguide applications. These polyimides were prepared from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) with 1,4-bis-[4-amino-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]tetrafluorobenzene (ATPT), 1,4-bis-[4-amino-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy] benzene (ATPB), and 1,3-bis-[4-amino-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-4,6-dichlorobenzene (ATPD). Control of the refractive indices of the polymers was achieved from 1.5397-1.5671 for TE polarization and 1.5239-1.5513 for TM polarization at 1.55 mu m by copolymerization of PMDA/ATPT and PMDA/ATPB. As the amount of PMDA/ATPT was increased, the refractive indices of the polymers were decreased. Rib-type optical waveguides were fabricated using these fluorinated polyimides. These waveguides exhibited a low propagation loss of less than 0.5 dB/cm at 1.55 mu m.