Novel Liquid Crystals - Polymers and Monomers - As Nonlinear Optical Materials

摘要

Progress is reviewed on research into the design, synthesis and characterization of, primarily, side chain liquid crystalline polymers for nonlinear optics. Materials described are polyesters and vinyl polymers and copolymers having push-pull pi-electronic nlo structures as pendant groups. Chiral derivatives have also been prepared. The nlo species employed have been nitroaromatics and pyridine N-oxides. Results of collaborative efforts in further characterization (electrooptic, dielectric, Langmuir-Blodgett films) are described. Keywords: Nonlinear optical materials; Liquid crystals; Polymers. (mjm)