An optical article containing a polymeric matrix exhibiting a high level of second order polarization susceptibility

Claim 2

An optical article containing, for the transmission of electromagnetic radiation, a medium exhibiting a second order polarization susceptibility greater than 10⁻⁹ electrostatic units comprised of organic polar aligned noncentrosymmetric molecular dipoles having an electron donor moiety linked through a conjugated π bonding system to an electron acceptor moiety to permit oscillation of the molecular dipole between a ground state exhibiting a first dipole moment and an excited state exhibiting a differing dipole moment, characterized in that the molecular dipoles form repeating units in a crosslinked polymeric matrix.

Claim 3

An optical article according to claim 1 further characterized in that means are provided for directing electromagnetic radiation to said transmission medium.

Claim 4

An optical article according to claim 1 or 2 further characterized in that biasing means are provided for placing an electric field across said transmission medium.

Claim 5

An optical article according to claim 3 further characterized in that said biasing means includes at least one transparent electrode in contact with said transmission medium.

Claim 6

An optical article according to claim 1 or 2 further characterized in that said transmission medium lies in contact with a linear waveguide for electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 7

An optical article according to any one of claims 1 to 5 inclusive further characterized in that said molecular dipole repeating units form at least 50 percent of said transmission medium.

Claim 8

An optical article according to claim 6 further characterized in that said molecular dipole repeating units form at least 70 percent of said transmission medium.

Claim 9

An optical article according to any one of claims 1 to 7 inclusive further characterized in that said molecular dipole repeating units are crosslinked by crosslinking moieties.

Claim 10

An optical article according to any one of claims 1 to 8 inclusive further characterized in that said molecular dipole repeating units satisfy the formula: where A is an electron acceptor moiety; D is an electron donor moiety; E is a conjugated π bonding system; ℓ is an integer of from 1 to 4; and L is a crosslinking moiety.

Claim 11

An optical article according to claim 9 further characterized in that A is a cyano, nitro, or sulfonyl electron acceptor moiety.

Claim 12

An optical article according to claim 9 or 10 further characterized in that D is an amino moiety.

Claim 13

An optical article according to claim 11 further characterized in that D is a secondary or tertiary amino moiety.

Claim 14

An optical article according to any one of claims 9 to 12 inclusive further characterized in that A and E together form a sulfonimino moiety.

Claim 15

An optical article according to any one of claims 9 to 12 inclusive further characterized in that D and E together form a pyridinium moiety.

Claim 16

An optical article according to any one of claims 9 to 14 inclusive further characterized in that L is a crosslinking moiety of the formula where Ac is an activating moiety and R⁵ is hydrogen or a lower alkyl group of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 17

An optical article according to any one of claims 9 to 15 inclusive further characterized in that said molecular dipole repeating units satisfy one or combination of the formulae: where A is an electron acceptor moiety; D is an electron donor moiety; E is a conjugated π bonding system; L is a crosslinking moiety; R a , R d , R¹, R², and R⁴ are optionally substituted hydrocarbon spacer moieties containing from 2 to 10 carbon atoms; and R³ is hydrogen, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon moiety which, when substituted by said crosslinking moiety is L, is a spacer moiety containing from 2 to 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 18

An optical article according to claim 16 further characterized in that E is chosen to provide a 4,4′-stilbenoid conjugated π bonding system.

Claim 19

An optical article according to claim 17 further characterized in that E is chosen to provide a 4,4′-stilbene conjugated π bonding system.

Claim 20

An optical article according to claim 9 further characterized in that said molecular dipole repeating units are comprised of one or a combination of repeating units satisfying the formulae: where A is an electron acceptor moiety; D is an electron donor moiety; G is independently in each occurrence a methine or aza moiety, with the proviso that no more than two aza moieties are next adjacent; ℓ is 2 or 3; L is a crosslinking moiety; n is an integer of from 1 to 3; p is 0 or 1; q is an integer of from 0 to 3; R a is chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen and substituents which collectively, together with A, -SO₂R¹, or =NSO₂R¹, enhance the electron acceptance of the aromatic ring to which they are attached; and R d is chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen and substituents which collectively, together with D, R²R³N-, or -R², enhance the electron donation of the aromatic ring to which they are attached.

Claim 21

An optical article according to claim 19 further characterized that R a and R d are hydrogen in each occurrence, L is linked to at least one of oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen atoms of the electron acceptor and donor moieties through an alkylene spacer containing from 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and L is present in the form of crosslinking groups of the formula: where R⁵ is hydrogen or methyl.