US4946261A — Recording method and recording apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 181 words

A recording method, comprising the steps of: providing a recording medium including a substrate and a recording layer formed thereon, said recording layer comprising a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least five×10 -30 e.s.u. but substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystal form; and writing a record in the recording layer by heating and cooling at least a part of the recording layer and applying an external field to at least a part of the recording layer so that at least a part of the recording layer is cooled to solidify under the application of the external field to form a portion showing a nonlinear optical effect and a part of the recording layer cooled to solidify in the absence of the external field to form a portion showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect, said record in said recording layer being written by the combination of said part showing a nonlinear optical effect and said part showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 181 words

A recording method, comprising the steps of: providing a recording medium including a substrate and a recording layer formed thereon, said recording layer comprising a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least five×10 -30 e.s.u. but substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystal form; and writing a record in the recording layer by heating and cooling at least a part of the recording layer and applying an external field to at least a part of the recording layer so that at least a part of the recording layer is cooled to solidify under the application of the external field to form a portion showing a nonlinear optical effect and a part of the recording layer cooled to solidify in the absence of the external field to form a portion showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect, said record in said recording layer being written by the combination of said part showing a nonlinear optical effect and said part showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein said part of the recording layer solidified in the absence of an external field has a function of scattering laser light.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein said guest compound is a para-di-substituted benzene derivative.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 13 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein said polymer comprises a polyoxyalkylene unit.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein said external field is an electric field.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 14 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein said external field is a magnetic field.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein said nonlinear optical effect is second harmonic generation.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 171 words

A recording method, comprising the steps of: providing a recording medium including a substrate and a recording layer formed thereon said recording layer comprising a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least 5×10 -30 e.s.u. but showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystal form; and writing a record in the recording layer by heating and solidifying at least a part of the recording layer under the application of an external field thereby to provide said at least a part of the recording layer with a nonlinear optical effect, and then heating and solidifying a prescribed part in said at least a part of the recording layer in the absence of an external field to cause said prescribed part to lose its nonlinear optical effect, said record in the recording layer being formed by the combination of said part showing a nonlinear optical effect and said part showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 171 words

A recording method, comprising the steps of: providing a recording medium including a substrate and a recording layer formed thereon said recording layer comprising a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least 5×10 -30 e.s.u. but showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystal form; and writing a record in the recording layer by heating and solidifying at least a part of the recording layer under the application of an external field thereby to provide said at least a part of the recording layer with a nonlinear optical effect, and then heating and solidifying a prescribed part in said at least a part of the recording layer in the absence of an external field to cause said prescribed part to lose its nonlinear optical effect, said record in the recording layer being formed by the combination of said part showing a nonlinear optical effect and said part showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method according to claim 8, wherein said part of the recording layer solidified in the absence of an external field has a function of scattering laser light.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method according to claim 8, wherein said guest compound is a para-di-substituted benzene derivative.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 13 words

A method according to claim 8, wherein said polymer comprises a polyoxyalkylene unit.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 14 words

A method according to claim 8, wherein said external field is an electric field.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 14 words

A method according to claim 8, wherein said external field is a magnetic field.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method according to claim 8, wherein said nonlinear optical effect is second harmonic generation.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 138 words

A recording method, comprising the steps of: providing a recording medium including a substrate and a recording layer recording layer formed thereon, said recording layer comprising a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least 5×10 -30 e.s.u. but showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystal form; and writing a record in the recording layer by applying an external field to substantially the whole part of the recording layer while selectively heating and then solidifying a prescribed part of the recording layer to provide said prescribed part with a nonlinear optical effect, said record in said recording layer being formed by the combination of said part showing a nonlinear optical effect and said part showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 138 words

A recording method, comprising the steps of: providing a recording medium including a substrate and a recording layer recording layer formed thereon, said recording layer comprising a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least 5×10 -30 e.s.u. but showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystal form; and writing a record in the recording layer by applying an external field to substantially the whole part of the recording layer while selectively heating and then solidifying a prescribed part of the recording layer to provide said prescribed part with a nonlinear optical effect, said record in said recording layer being formed by the combination of said part showing a nonlinear optical effect and said part showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method according to claim 15, wherein said part of the recording layer solidified in the absence of an external field has a function of scattering laser light.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method according to claim 15, wherein said guest compound is a para-di-substituted benzene derivative.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 13 words

A method according to claim 15, wherein said polymer comprises a polyoxyalkylene unit.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 14 words

A method according to claim 15, wherein said external field is an electric field.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 14 words

A method according to claim 15, wherein said external field is a magnetic field.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method according to claim 15, wherein said nonlinear optical effect is second harmonic generation.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 124 words

A recording apparatus, comprising: a recording medium including a substrate and a recording layer formed thereon said recording layer comprising a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least 5×10 -30 e.s.u. but showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystal form; external field application means; heating means, wherein at least one of said external field application means and said heating means is arranged so as to exert its function to a selected part of the recording layer; semiconductor laser illumination means for illuminating said recording layer; and means for detecting an optical second harmonic generated from the recording layer in response to said semiconductor laser illumination.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 124 words

A recording apparatus, comprising: a recording medium including a substrate and a recording layer formed thereon said recording layer comprising a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least 5×10 -30 e.s.u. but showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystal form; external field application means; heating means, wherein at least one of said external field application means and said heating means is arranged so as to exert its function to a selected part of the recording layer; semiconductor laser illumination means for illuminating said recording layer; and means for detecting an optical second harmonic generated from the recording layer in response to said semiconductor laser illumination.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 14 words

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said heating means is a heat-generating head.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 13 words

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said heating means is a laser.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 17 words

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said external field application means is electric field application means.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 17 words

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said external field application means is magnetic field application means.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 216 words

A process for recording comprising the steps of: (a) providing a recording sheet comprising a substrate having a recording layer formed thereon, which recording layer comprises a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least 5×10 -30 e.s.u. but showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystalline form; (b) writing a record in the recording layer by heating and cooling at least a part of the recording layer and applying an external field to at least a part of the recording layer so that at least a part of the recording layer is cooled to solidify under the application of the external field so as to form a portion showing said nonlinear optical effect and a part of the recording layer cooled so as to solidify free of said external field to form a portion showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect, said record in said recording layer being formed by the combination of said part showing a nonlinear optical effect and said part showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect; (c) contacting the recording sheet with a photosensitive material and exposing the photosensitive sheet in contact with the recording sheet to laser light; and (d) developing the exposed photosensitive material.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 216 words

A process for recording comprising the steps of: (a) providing a recording sheet comprising a substrate having a recording layer formed thereon, which recording layer comprises a solid solution of a guest compound in a polymer, said guest compound having a second order molecular nonlinear optical susceptibility β of at least 5×10 -30 e.s.u. but showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystalline form; (b) writing a record in the recording layer by heating and cooling at least a part of the recording layer and applying an external field to at least a part of the recording layer so that at least a part of the recording layer is cooled to solidify under the application of the external field so as to form a portion showing said nonlinear optical effect and a part of the recording layer cooled so as to solidify free of said external field to form a portion showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect, said record in said recording layer being formed by the combination of said part showing a nonlinear optical effect and said part showing substantially no nonlinear optical effect; (c) contacting the recording sheet with a photosensitive material and exposing the photosensitive sheet in contact with the recording sheet to laser light; and (d) developing the exposed photosensitive material.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 45 words

A process according to claim 27, wherein said step (b) is divided into sub-steps of: heating and cooling the recording layer under the application of the external field, and heating and cooling a part of the recording layer in the absence of an external field.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 46 words

A process according to claim 27, wherein said polymer comprises a polyoxyalkylene having oxyalkylene units represented by the formula: --T--O).sub.n (1), wherein R denotes an alkylene group having 1-6 carbon atoms, and n is the total number of the oxyalkylene units ranging from 100 to 200,000.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 35 words

A process according to claim 27, wherein said guest compound is a para-di-substituted benzene derivative represented by the formula: ##STR13## wherein D and E are an electron donative group and an electron attractive group, respectively.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 40 words

A process according to claim 29, wherein D denotes an electron donative group selected from amino, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylamino, hydroxyalkylamino, dialkylamino, hydroxyalkyl-alkylamino, dihydroxyalkylamino and mercapto; and E denotes an electron attractive group selected from nitro, cyano, halogen, trifluoromethyl and carbonyl.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-08-06	1994-02-05	1994-08-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-08-06	1998-02-05	1998-08-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-08-06	2002-02-05	2002-08-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Recording method and recording apparatus

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