Azo polymers for reversible optical storage
First Claim
1. A process for reversible optical information storage utilizing a device comprising an amorphous film of a polymer, copolymer or polymer blend incorporating, in a main chain or a side chain thereof, an azoaromatic compound having the general formula:
- ##STR11## where A is selected from hydrogen and methyl,R is selected from ##STR12## Q is selected from N, O and S, X is selected from hydrogen and alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms andZ is selected from carbonyl, oxycarbonyl and alkyloxy carbonyl, comprising the steps of;
(a) recording information below the glass temperature of said polymer by locally reorienting said polymer by linearly polarized light,(b) reading stored information, and(c) erasing said stored information by overwriting with light selected from light polarized in a selected zero direction and circularly polarized light.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A novel series of azo polymers, copolymers and polymer blends for reversible optical storage devices are described. Various azobenzenes can be bound in the side chain or within the main chain of long chain polymers such as polyester, polystyrene and poly methacrylates with very short or no spacers to a form amorphous polymers which as a film or deposited on a transparent substrate can be used to record optical information using a linearly polarized laser beam which induces optical anisotropy in the film. The information can be erased thermally by heating above the glass transition temperature, or optically by overwriting with light polarized in a predefined zero direction or with circularly polarized light.
67 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A process for reversible optical information storage utilizing a device comprising an amorphous film of a polymer, copolymer or polymer blend incorporating, in a main chain or a side chain thereof, an azoaromatic compound having the general formula:
- ##STR11## where A is selected from hydrogen and methyl,
R is selected from ##STR12## Q is selected from N, O and S, X is selected from hydrogen and alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms and Z is selected from carbonyl, oxycarbonyl and alkyloxy carbonyl, comprising the steps of; (a) recording information below the glass temperature of said polymer by locally reorienting said polymer by linearly polarized light, (b) reading stored information, and (c) erasing said stored information by overwriting with light selected from light polarized in a selected zero direction and circularly polarized light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- ##STR11## where A is selected from hydrogen and methyl,
Specification