Patent ID: 6090332
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: G02F,G11B,G11C

Abstract:
A method, comprising the steps of:providing a low viscosity, optically transparent composite containing a polymer and a molecule at a selected temperature, wherein the molecule is electrically neutral, has a formula D-.PI.-A and a molecular dipole moment .mu..sub.M, D is an electron donor group and has a group dipole moment .mu..sub.D, A is an electron acceptor group and has a group dipole moment .mu..sub.A and .PI. is a carbocyclic fused ring bridge of rotationally locked conjugated .pi. bonds connecting D to A and has a bond length alternation L, wherein -0.08 .ANG.<L.ltoreq.0.06 .ANG., in which at least one of .mu..sub.D or .mu..sub.A .gtoreq.2 Debye and the vectorial sum of .mu..sub.D +.mu..sub.A is within an angle of 0.+-.60 degrees with respect to .mu..sub.M and also within an angle of 0.+-.60 degrees of a charge transfer vector c.sub.T wherein c.sub.T is .mu..sub.M -(.mu..sub.d +.mu..sub.A); andapplying an electric field E to the composite, whereby birefringence induced in the composite is .gtoreq.10.sup.-5 in a period of less than 60 seconds and the molecule in the composite aligns itself in accordance with the applied electric field at the selected temperature.