Process for making photopolymers having varying molecular orientation using light to orient and polymerize

• US 5,389,698 A
• Filed: 09/21/1993
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The State Scientific Centre of The Russian Federation Niopik
• Original Assignee: Niopic Moscow Research and Production Association, Hoffmann-La Roche Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Kozenkov, Vladimir M., Reshetnyak, Victor Y., Novoseletsky, Nicolic V., Chigrinov, Vladimir G., Schmitt, Klaus, Schadt, Martin, Reznikov, Yuriy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parker, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US08/125,006
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 359/75, 359/76, 359/100, 359/102, 359/104, 359/106, 359/45, 264/1.3, 264/1.4, 264/24, 264/1.1, 428/1, 430/2, 430/1, 430/18, 430/269, 430/270, 430/271, 430/290, 522/2, 522/150, 522/149, 204/157.15, 204/900, 204/157.6
• US Class Current: 522/2
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/46 Polymerisation initiated by wave energy or particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133711 by organic films, e.g. polymeric films
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133788 by light irradiation, e.g. linearly polarised light photo-polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 204/90 Effecting a change in isomerization by wave energy

Abstract

An oriented photopolymer is a polymer where photomodification is initiated by irradiation with plane-polarized light and where the molecular configuration has a preferred orientation as a result of linear polarization. These polymers have optically anisotropic and other novel properties.

Claims

1. A process for the manufacture of an oriented photopolymer, which comprises:

a) providing a layer of a photo-polymerizable, optically isotropic polymeric material, and

b) orienting and polymerizing said layer by irradiating it with linearly-polarized light to obtain the oriented photopolymer.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein predetermined regions of the polymeric material are irradiated with light polarized in a direction other than that of the linearly-polarized light.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined region of the polymeric material is irradiated with linearly-polarized light, and a different predetermined region is irradiated with non-polarized light.