Rolic Ag

Hoffmann-la Roche Inc.

Rolic Technologies Ag

Andreas Schuster

Hubert Seiberle

Martin Schadt

Guy Marck

Jean-Francois Eckert

Zoubair Mohammed Cherkaoui

Olivier Muller

Thomas Bachels

Richard Buchecker

Peggy Studer

Joachim Reichardt

Rolf-Peter Herr

Thomas Peglow

Satish Palika

Francedillaois Herzog

Fran&ccedil;ois Herzog

Stephen Kelly

Klaus Schmitt

Jean-François Eckert

Rolf Peter Herr

Olivier Müller

Oliver MÜLLER

The present invention relates to a copolymer for the photoalignment of liquid crystals comprising a photoreactive group as given below in formula (I), compositions thereof, and its use for optical and electro optical devices, especially liquid crystal devices (LCDs).

Photoaligning material

The present invention relates to polymer, homo- or copolymer or oligomer for the photoalignment of liquid crystals comprising a main chain and a side chain, wherein the side chain comprises a difluoromethylene group, compositions thereof, and its use for optical and electro optical devices, especially liquid crystal devices (LCDs).

A diamine compound of formula (I) is proposed as well as polymers, copolymers, polyamic acids, polyamic acid esters, or polyimides based on such compound.

Photocrosslinkable materials

A diamine compound is proposed as well as polymers, copolymers, polyamic acids, polyamic acid esters, or polyimides based on such compound. The compound is represented by one of the general formulae (Ia) and (Ib). It could be shown that such structures, in particular for a specific choice of the residue B, provide, if e.g. used as orientation layers, a photostable, vertically aligning material with an improved VHR.

A novel photoactive copolymer and its use as orientation layers for liquid crystals and in the construction of unstructured and structured optical elements and multilayer systems. The copolymer contains side chains incorporating photoreactive groups and simultaneously side chains of general formula (I) wherein the total number of rings, including the number of rings in optionally present condensed systems is at least two and at most six; wherein the broken line symbolizes the point of linkage to the polymer main chain; and wherein the variables are defined in the disclosure.

Photoactive copolymer

An optical component having a hybrid layer structure includes an orienting layer, a further layer in contact with the orienting layer and incorporating a cross-linked liquid crystalline monomer and at least one additional orienting layer on top of the liquid crystalline layer, and preferably includes one additional cross-linked liquid crystalline monomer. The layers have different functions, such as orienting or retarding. At least one of the orienting layers should be a photo-orientating polymer network layer, or have locally varying orienting pattern. These optical components are useful in transmittance and reflective liquid crystal displays, such as rotation cells, STN cells, ferroelectric cells, and cells having an addressable active matrix. Such cells are useful in optical and integrated optical devices, and may be used for safeguarding against counterfeiting and copying in transmission.

Optical component and method of manufacture

Photocrosslinkable polymers

Orientation layers of monomeric or polymeric liquid crystal layers having any desired azimuthal orientation direction and a tilt angle are produced by irradiating at an angle differing from the normal to the surface photopolymers orienting parallel to linearly polarized light.

Photo-oriented polymer network material having desired azimuthal orientation and tilt angle and method for its production

The invention is concerned with novel cross-linkable, photoactive polymer materials with 3-aryl-acrylic acid esters and amides as well as their use as orienting layers for liquid crystals and for the production of non-structured or structured optical elements and multi-layer systems.

Cross-linkable photoactive polymer materials

Coumarin and quinolinone derivatives for the production of orienting layers for liquid crystals

Growing community of inventors

Freiburg, Germany

Andreas Schuster