Novel anhydride-terminated fluorinated hyperbranched polyimides (FHBPIs) were successfully prepared by condensation of a triamine monomer, 1,3,5-tris(2-trifluoromethyl-4-aminopheoxy) benzene (TFAPOB), and various aromatic dianhydride monomers with different linear length. UV-vis spectra indicate high optical transparency of FHBPI films with a UV-vis absorption edge of 350-395 nm. FHBPIs show increased mechanical properties with the linear length of dianhydride monomer. Young's moduli of FHBPI range from 2.37 to 2.56 Gpa, similar to those of their linear analogs. These FHBPI films also present a minimum birefringence value as low as 0.0025 at 650 nm and have low optical absorption in the optical communication wavelengths of 1310 and 1550 nm. Rib-type optical waveguide device fabricated by FHBPI-4d demonstrated an obvious near-field mode pattern of the waveguide. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, lnc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6269-6279, 2009