Liquid Crystal Compounds, Liquid Crystal Compounds, and Electroclinic Devices

摘要

The present invention describes a liquid crystal compound of general formula (I) suitable for use in a liquid crystal device including a device exhibiting an electroclinic effect.;In the above formula,;X can be CN, NO ₂ , CF ₃ , CF ₂ H, CFH ₂ , halogen, hydrogen, alkyl or alkoxy;;X ₂ may be CN, NO ₂ , CF ₃ , CF ₂ H, CFH ₂ , halogen, hydrogen, alkyl or alkoxy;;X ₃ may be CN, NO ₂ , CF ₃ , CF ₂ H, CFH ₂ , halogen, alkyl, alkoxy or hydrogen,;X ₄ may be CN, NO ₂ , CF ₃ , CF ₂ H, CFH ₂ , halogen, alkyl, alkoxy or hydrogen;;Provided that at least one of X and X ₂ is CF ₃ , CF ₂ H, CFH ₂ , CN, NO ₂ or halogen;;A and B are independently phenyl, mono-fluorinated phenyl, di-fluorinated phenyl or cyclohexyl;;Y can be a single bond, COO, OOC or C≡C;;q can be 0 or 1;;[Where Z is a single bond, O, CO ₂ , (CH ₂ ) _n or (CH ₂ ) _n O;Where n may be 1 or 2, and J and M may independently be H or C _1-4 alkyl, and W may be C ₁ -C ₁₂ straight or branched alkyl. There is;;R ₂ may contain 1 to 14 carbon atoms in which one or more non-adjacent CH ₂ groups may be replaced by CO ₂ or O.;X or X ₂ together with the nearest terminal group can cause steric hindrance. The materials of the present invention may be mixed with and / or using other liquid crystal compounds. Suitable devices in which the materials of the present invention may be incorporated generally include beam steerers, piezo actuators or sensors, and pyroelectric sensors and displays. The materials of the present invention may be useful as dopants in ferroelectrics and as secondary nonlinear optical materials for second harmonic conversion of light.