Liquid crystalline host properties

A novel second-order nonlinear optical medium which should offer considerable fabrication flexibility has been described. The physics of alignment of the highly nonlinearly polarizable moiety was discussed. However, observation of complex dynamical and thermal behavior indicates that an important role is played by the polymer liquid crystalline host. Additional properties of modified members of this family of lc polymers were consequently investigated. The explanations of guest alignment stabilization and thermal dependence of the alignability remain unresolved issues. 

The introduction of dye molecules into the liquid crystalline host does not change the majority of the properties of the host, provided that not too much dye is introduced (not more than 1-2%). The N I transition temperature of the liquid crystal, the viscous and elastic properties, the electrical conductivity (provided the dye is not ionic and does not contain ionic impurities), the dielectric permittivities, (provided the dye molecule does not have a large dipole moment), and even the refractive indices all remain the same. The only significant change in the properties of the crystal is the appearance of absorption bands in the visible region of the spectrum and a slight increase in viscosity [151]. 

Among all the experimental investigations performed in anthraquinone-doped nematic liquid crystals, two results are worth being noted here as they highlight some important features of the microscopic intermolecular interactions involved in this phenomenon. In the first experiment, we have found that slight changes in the molecular structure of relatively simple anthraquinone dyes may lead to dramatic modifications of the macroscopic nonlinear optical properties of the liquid-crystalline host [22]. This is shown in Fig. 5.2... 

The laser liquids prepared by these techniques possess properties, such as high gain and sharpness of the emission, that are more characteristic of crystalline hosts (Nd3+ CaWC>4 or Nd3+ YAG) than glass lasers (Heller, 1966 Heller, 1968a Lempicki and Heller, 1966). Moreover, under identical excitation conditions, the solutions have 4F3/2 -> 4In/2 emission... 

As discussed earlier, while the scale of the fillers is substantially different, nanocomposite materials concepts and technology are very similar to those of conventional composite materials. This is clearly demonstrated in the case of new thermosets for nonlinear optical (NLO) applications, " " where nanocomposite of liquid crystalline thermosets, IPNs, and simple filled thermosets are evaluated. Tripathy et al. discussed four different ways to prepare nonlinear optical polymers. (1) The polymer matrix is doped with NLO moieties in a guest/host system (2) In side-chain polymer systems, NLO polymers with active moieties are covalently bonded as pendant groups (3) In the main chain polymer, the chromo-phores are incorporated as parts of the main polymer backbone to enhance the temporal stability of the NLO properties and (4) Stability of the optical noninearity in sol-gel-based thermosets is related to... 

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