Conjugated organic polymers are of wide interest as nonlinear optical materials because of their potential applications in photonic devices, such as communication devices. They have a large and fast nonlinear optical response, as well as a great flexibility in their preparing method. For device applications, the most important parameters are: third-order optical nonlinear susceptibility X(3), which real part is related with nonlinear refractive index and imaginary part is related with nonlinear absorption coefficient; response time; absorptioon at operating wavelength alfaL; processability; damage threshold; and thermal stability. There are many conjugated polymers, and the polythiophene class, which includes high stabilityn heterocyclic compunds, is one of the most impoant because of its interesting transport properties and large third-order nonlinearity. In this work the optical properties of polythiophene: X (3), real and imaginary parts; alfaL and time response, were investigated experimentally. The Z-scan technique was used to measure the third-order nonlinear effects. The value and the sign of the nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficient of the polythiophene were found to be around -10 -12cm2/W and -10-8 cm/W, respectively. To analyze the experimental data it wass necessary to use a new theoretical approach. This approach is different from the conventional one and produces better fitting of the experimental results. The nonlinear response time of the polythiophene was measured using the time-resolved Z-scan technique, using a single waveguide and perpendicular polarizations. The time response is smaller than 100 ps. Besides the polythiophene characterization, it was demonstrated that this polymer can work like an AND logical gate using Kerr switching. This wxperiment showed that it is possible to make a fast (picoseconds) all- optical switch using a light beam to control another light beam.