Claims
- 1. A nonlinear optical medium in the form of a transparent solid comprising (1) a host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR37## where P is a polymer main chain unit, S is a flexible spacer group having a linear chain length of between about 0-20 atoms, M is a pendant mesogen which exhibits a second order nonlinear optical susceptibility .beta. of at least about 5.times.10.sup.-30 esu as measured at 1.91 .mu.m excitation wavelength, and where the pendant mesogens comprise at least about 10 weight percent of the polymer, and the polymer has a glass transition temperature above about 40.degree. C.; and (2) a guest organic compound component which has a molecular weight less than about 1000, and which exhibits a second order nonlinear optical susceptibility .beta. of at least about 5.times.10.sup.-30 esu as measured at 1.91 .mu.m excitation wavelength; wherein the optical medium is characterized by an external field-induced orientation of aligned molecules.
- 2. A nonlinear optical medium in the form of a transparent solid comprising (1) a host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR38## where P is a polymer main chain unit, S is a flexible spacer group having a linear chain length of between about 0-20 atoms, M' is a pendant mesogen which exhibits a third order nonlinear optical susceptibility .gamma. of at least about 1.times.10.sup.-36 esu as measured at 1.91 .mu.m excitation wavelength, and where the pendant mesogens comprise at least about 10 weight percent of the polymer, and the polymer has a glass transition temperature above about 40.degree. C.; and (2) a guest organic compound component which has a molecular weight less than about 1000, and which exhibits a third order nonlinear optical susceptibility .gamma. of at least 1.times.10.sup.-36 esu as measured at 1.91 .mu.m excitation wavelength; wherein the optical medium is characterized by an external field-induced orientation of aligned molecules.
- 3. A nonlinear optical medium in the form of a transparent solid comprising (1) a host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR39## where P is a polymer main chain unit; m is an integer of at least 3; S' is a flexible spacer group having a linear chain length of between about 1-25 atoms; X is --NR--, --O-- or --S--; R is hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group; Y is ##STR40## and Z is an electron-donating group or an electron-withdrawing group; and (2) an organic compound component corresponding to the formula:
- K--X--Y--Z
- where K is hydrogen or an organic radical; X, Y and Z correspond to groups as defined above; and the organic compound component has a molecular weight less than about 1000.
- 4. A nonlinear optical medium in the form of a transparent solid comprising (1) a host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR41## where m.sup.1 is an integer of at least 5; n is an integer between about 4-20; X.sup.1 is --NR.sup.1 --, --O-- or --S--; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl; and Z.sup.1 is --NO.sub.2, --CN or --CF.sub.3 ; and (2) an organic compound component corresponding to the formula: ##STR42## where K.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic radical containing between about 1-20 carbon atoms; and X.sup.1 and Z.sup.1 are groups as defined above.
- 5. A nonlinear optical medium in the form of a transparent solid comprising (1) a host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR43## where R.sup.2 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 hydrocarbyl group; m.sup.1 is an integer of at least 5; n is an integer between about 4-20; X.sup.1 is --NR.sup.1 --, --O-- or --S--; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl; and Z.sup.1 is --NO.sub.2, --CN or --CF.sub.3 ; and (2) an organic compound component corresponding to the formula: ##STR44## where K.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic radical containing between about 1-20 carbon atoms; and X.sup.1 and Z.sup.1 are groups as defined above.
- 6. A nonlinear optical medium in the form of a transparent solid comprising (1) a host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR45## where R.sup.2 is hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group; m.sup.1 is an integer of at least 5; n is an integer between about 4-20; X.sup.1 is --NR.sup.1, --O-- or --S--; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl; and Z.sup.1 is --NO.sub.2, --CN or --CF.sub.3 ; and (2) an organic compound component corresponding to the formula: ##STR46## where K.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic radical containing between about 1-20 carbon atoms; and X.sup.1 and Z.sup.1 are groups as defined above.
- 7. A nonlinear optical medium in the form of a transparent solid comprising (1) a host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR47## where m.sup.1 is an integer of at least 5; S' is a flexible spacer group having a linear chain length of between about 1-25 atoms; X.sup.1 is --NR.sup.1, --O-- or --S--; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl; and Z.sup.1 is --NO.sub.2, --CN or --CF.sub.3 ; and (2) an organic compound component corresponding to the formula: ##STR48## where K.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic radical containing between about 1-20 carbon atoms; and X.sup.1 and Z.sup.1 are groups as defined above.
- 8. A nonlinear optical medium in the form of a transparent solid comprising (1) a host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR49## where m.sup.1 is an integer of at least 5; S' is a flexible spacer group having a linear chain length of between about 1-25 atoms; X.sup.1 is --NR.sup.1 --, --O-- or --S--; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl; and Z.sup.1 is --NO.sub.2, --CN or --CF.sub.3 ; and (2) an organic compound component corresponding to the formula: ##STR50## where K.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic radical containing between about 1-20 carbon atoms; and X.sup.1 and Z.sup.1 are groups as defined above.
- 9. A light switch or light modulator device with an organic nonlinear optical component consisting of a transparent solid medium comprising a thermoplastic composition which is a blend of constituents comprising (1) a host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer which is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR51## where P is a polymer main chain unit, S is a flexible spacer group having a linear chain length of between about 0-20 atoms, M is a pendant mesogen which exhibits a second order nonlinear optical susceptibility .beta. of at least about 5.times.10.sup.-30 esu as measured at 1.91 .mu.m excitation wavelength, and where the pendant mesogens comprise at least about 10 weight percent of the polymer, and the polymer has a glass transition temperature above about 40.degree. C.; and (2) a guest organic compound which has a molecular weight less than about 1000, and which exhibits a second order nonlinear optical susceptibility .beta. of at least about 5.times.10.sup.-30 esu as measured at 1.91 .mu.m excitation wavelength; wherein the optical medium is characterized by an external field-induced orientation of aligned molecules.
- 10. A light switch or light modulator device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the guest organic compound of the composition blend comprises about 5-30 weight percent of the total weight of constituents in the blend.
- 11. A light switch or light modulator device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the host thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer is characterized by a recurring monomeric unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR52## where m is an integer of at least 3.
Government Interests
This invention was made with Government support under Contract Number F49620-84-C-0110 awarded by the Department of Defense. The Federal Government has certain rights in this invention.
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