Polymer blends exhibiting nonlinear optical response

Claim 2

A composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR26## where R is an inorganic substituent or an organic substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; Z is a substituent selected from hydrogen and electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents; and the polysiloxane contains between about 2-2000 silicon atoms; and (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 3

A thermoplastic composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR27## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; and Z' is an electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituent; (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 4

A thermoplastic composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR27## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; and Z' is an electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituent; (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 5

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 2 which has a glass transition temperature above about 40° C.

Claim 6

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 2 which exhibits nonlinear optical response.

Claim 7

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein the polysiloxane component is a copolymer in which the recurring siloxane units comprise at least about 25 weight percent of the copolymer.

Claim 8

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein the liquid crystalline component is a main chain liquid crystalline polymer.

Claim 9

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein the liquid crystalline component is a side chain liquid crystalline polymer.

Claim 10

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein the liquid crystalline component is a wholly aromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer.

Claim 11

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein the liquid crystalline component is a wholly aromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer containing recurring benzimidazole, benzthiazole or benzoxazole structures.

Claim 12

A thermoplastic composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR28## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; X is an electron-donating substituent; and Y is an electron-withdrawing substituent; and (b) a liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring wholly aromatic structural unit corresponding to the formula: Ar--X--Ar where X is a divalent radical selected from estero, amido, azomethino, azo, azoxy, etheno and ethyno groups, and Ar is a divalent aromatic radical selected from phenylene, naphthylene and diphenylene groups, and aromatic radicals corresponding to the formula: ##STR29## where Y is a carbonyl, sulfono, oxy or thio group.

Claim 13

A thermoplastic composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR28## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; X is an electron-donating substituent; and Y is an electron-withdrawing substituent; and (b) a liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring wholly aromatic structural unit corresponding to the formula: Ar--X--Ar where X is a divalent radical selected from estero, amido, azomethino, azo, azoxy, etheno and ethyno groups, and Ar is a divalent aromatic radical selected from phenylene, naphthylene and diphenylene groups, and aromatic radicals corresponding to the formula: ##STR29## where Y is a carbonyl, sulfono, oxy or thio group.

Claim 14

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 10 which exhibits nonlinear optical response.

Claim 15

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 10 wherein the liquid crystalline polymer component is a copolymer of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid.

Claim 16

A thermoplastic composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR30## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; X is an electron-donating substituent; and Y is an electron-withdrawing substituent; and (b) a liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR31## 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, 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 60° C.

Claim 17

A thermoplastic composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR30## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; X is an electron-donating substituent; and Y is an electron-withdrawing substituent; and (b) a liquid crystalline polymer component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR31## 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, 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 60° C.

Claim 18

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the liquid crystalline polymer component has a polyvinyl main chain.

Claim 19

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the liquid crystalline polymer component has a polysiloxane main chain.

Claim 20

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the liquid crystalline polymer component has a polyoxyalkylene main chain.

Claim 21

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the polysiloxane component exhibits nonlinear optical response.

Claim 22

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the liquid crystalline polymer component exhibits nonlinear optical response.

Claim 23

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the polysiloxane component is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR32## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; R 2 and R 3 are selected from hydrogen and C 1 -C 30 alkyl groups, and R 2 and R 3 taken with the connecting nitrogen atom form a heterocyclic substituent; Y' is a substituent selected from nitro, cyano and trifluoromethyl groups; and the polymer contains between about 5-2000 silicon atoms.

Claim 24

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the polysiloxane component is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR33## and the polysiloxane has a weight average molecular weight between about 2000-100,000.

Claim 25

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the polysiloxane component is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR34## and the polymer has a weight average molecular weight between about 2000-100,000.

Claim 26

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the polysiloxane component is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula ##STR35## and the polysiloxane has a weight average molecular weight between about 2000-100,000.

Claim 27

A thermoplastic composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the polysiloxane component is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR36## wherein the polymer has a weight average molecular weight between about 2000-100,000.

Claim 28

A nonlinear optical medium consisting of a composition which is a blend of component comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR37## where R is an inorganic substituent or an organic substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; Z is a substituent selected from hydrogen and electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents; and the polysiloxane contains between about 2-2000 silicon atoms; and (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 29

A nonlinear optical medium consisting of a composition which is a blend of component comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR37## where R is an inorganic substituent or an organic substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; Z is a substituent selected from hydrogen and electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents; and the polysiloxane contains between about 2-2000 silicon atoms; and (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 30

A nonlinear optical medium consisting of a thermoplastic composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR38## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; and Z' is an electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituent; and (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 31

A nonlinear optical medium consisting of a thermoplastic composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR38## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; and Z' is an electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituent; and (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 32

A nonlinear optical medium in accordance with claim 25 which has a noncentrosymmetric configuration of polymer molecules.

Claim 33

A nonlinear optical medium in accordance with claim 25 which has a centrosymmetric configuration of polymer molecules.

Claim 34

A nonlinear optical medium in accordance with claim 25 which has an external field-induced alignment of polymer molecules.

Claim 35

A nonlinear optical medium in accordance with claim 25 which is in the form of a transparent film.

Claim 36

A nonlinear optical medium in accordance with claim 25 wherein the polysiloxane component comprises about 10-90 weight percent of the total weight of components.

Claim 37

A light switch or light modulator device with an organic nonlinear optical component consisting of a transparent solid medium comprising a composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR39## where R is an inorganic substituent or an organic substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; Z is a substituent selected from hydrogen and electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents; and the polysiloxane contains between about 2-2000 silicon atoms; and (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 38

A light switch or light modulator device with an organic nonlinear optical component consisting of a transparent solid medium comprising a composition which is a blend of components comprising: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR39## where R is an inorganic substituent or an organic substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; Z is a substituent selected from hydrogen and electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents; and the polysiloxane contains between about 2-2000 silicon atoms; and (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 39

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: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR40## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; and Z' is an electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituent; and (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 40

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: (a) a polysiloxane component which is characterized by a recurring structural unit corresponding to the formula: ##STR40## where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl substituent containing between about 1-12 carbon atoms; n is an integer of at least 5; and Z' is an electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituent; and (b) a liquid crystalline component.

Claim 41

A light switch or light modulator device in accordance with claim 31 wherein the nonlinear optical component exhibits second order nonlinear optical response.

Claim 42

A light switch or light modulator device in accordance with claim 31 wherein the nonlinear optical component exhibits third order nonlinear optical response.

Claim 43

A light switch or light modulator device in accordance with claim 31 wherein the thermoplastic composition has an external field-induced alignment of polymer molecules.