Photoactive polymers

US6649230B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• ROLIC AG · CH

Inventors

• Hubert Seiberle · Lörrach, DE
• Guy Marck · Schlierbach, FR
• Olivier Muller · Ennery, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 3, 2001
• Grant date: Nov 18, 2003
• Expiry date: Oct 3, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02F1/133788
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A photoactive polymer of the general formula I: in which:P is a photoactive group which can photoisomerise and/or photodimerise;B represents an aromatic or alicyclic group, or B further represents a nitrogen atom or —CR2—;A, C, D each independently of the other represents an aromatic or alicyclic group;M represents a repeating monomer unit in a homo- or copolymer;S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 represent a single covalent bond or a spacer unit;n1, n2 are each independently a positive integer up to 2 with the proviso that n1+n2≦2;R1 is a hydrogen atom, or a straight-chain or branched alkyl residue wherein R2 represents a hydrogen atom or lower alkyl.The photoactive polymers may be used as orientation layers for liquid crystals and in the construction of unstructured and structured optical elements and multi-layer systems.