Optically active chiral polymers and copolymers of cholesteryl methacrylate have been studied for use in optical applications including plastic optical fibers. Homopolymers of chiral cholesteryl methacrylate with differing molecular weights and copolymers with methyl methacrylate were synthesized by free-radical copolymerization in tetrahydrofuran using azobisisobutyronitrile at 67 degrees C for 26 h. All polymers were characterized for molecular weight, glass-transition temperature, optical rotation, transparency, and refractive index and solution blended to test for compatibility with poly(methyl methacrylate). Such chiral materials are of particular interest because they offer useful polarization properties without requiring bulk orientation of the molecules. This makes it possible to produce low cost optical elements such as circularly birefringent or circularly polarizing optical elements with potential applications in polarization manipulations and sensing. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.