Index Contrasting-Photoactive Polymerizable Materials, and Articles and Methods Using Same
The present invention provides a composition comprising at least one a photoactive index-contrasting polymerizable material, wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises at least one reactive functional group and at least one index-contrasting group, and wherein the photoactive polymerizable material includes one or more of the following parameters: (1) a distance between at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group which is at least to the average radius of the index-contrasting group; (2) two or more reactive groups per photoactive polymerizable materials; (3) an index-contrasting group having a strong chromophore absorption at a wavelength shorter than the recording wavelength, and (4) the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a reactive nanoparticle. The photoactive polymerizable material may be used to prepare an article by, for example, dispersion thereof in a support matrix, which may be used, for example, to record holograms.
1 . A composition comprising at least one a photoactive index-contrasting polymerizable material, wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises at least one reactive functional group and at least one index-contrasting group, and wherein the photoactive polymerizable material includes one or more of the following parameters: (1) a distance between at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group which is at least to the average radius of the index-contrasting group; (2) two or more reactive groups per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material; (3) an index-contrasting group having a strong chromophore absorption at a wavelength shorter than the recording wavelength, or (4) the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a reactive nanoparticle.
2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has the parameter of a distance between at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group which is at least equal to the average radius of the index-contrasting group.
3 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein the distance between the at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group is at least equal to the average diameter of the index-contrasting group.
4 . The composition of claim 3 , wherein the distance between the at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group is equal to from about 2 and about 4 diameters of the index-contrasting group.
5 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a linking moiety between the at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group.
6 . The composition of claim 5 , wherein the linking moiety is selected from the following linking moieties:
wherein n is in the range of from 1 to 50.
7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein n is in the range of form 2 to 10.
8 . The composition of claim 5 , wherein the linking moiety is selected from the following linking moieties:
wherein n is in the range of from 1 to 50.
9 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein n is in the range of form 2 to 10.
10 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has the parameter of two or more reactive groups per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material.
11 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has the more than two reactive groups per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material.
12 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has at least one very reactive group and at least one less reactive group per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material.
13 . The composition of claim 12 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has two or more very reactive groups and two or more less reactive groups per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material.
14 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has the parameter of an index-contrasting group having a strong chromophore absorption at a wavelength shorter than the recording wavelength.
15 . The composition of claim 14 , wherein the index-contrasting group has a chromophore absorption with a molar extinction of greater than about 10,000.
16 . The composition of claim 15 , wherein the index-contrasting group has a chromophore absorption with a molar extinction of greater than about 50,000.
17 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a reactive nanoparticle.
18 . The composition of claim 17 , wherein the reactive nanoparticles have a particle size of less than about 200 nm.
19 . The composition of claim 18 , wherein the reactive nanoparticles have a particle size of less than about 100 nm.
20 . The composition of claim 19 , wherein the reactive nanoparticles have a particle size of less than about 20 nm.
21 . The composition of claim 17 , wherein the reactive nanoparticles comprise a shell of lower contrast material.
22 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a monomer having the following formula:
23 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a monomer having the following formula:
wherein n is in the range of from 1 to 50.
24 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the reactive group comprises at least one of the following groups: an unsaturated double bond, a cyclic ether, a cyclic carbonate, a cyclic ester, or a dioxalane.
25 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the reactive group comprises a mixture of an acrylate group with at least one of the following groups: methacrylate, styrene, vinyl ether, or vinyl carbazole.
26 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the reactive group comprises a mixture of a cyclohexeneoxide group with at least one of the following groups: a vinyl carbazole, a glycidyl ether, an allyl glycidyl ether, a cyclic ester, or a cyclic carbonate.
27 . An article comprising a support matrix and at least one index-contrasting photoactive polymerizable material present in the support matrix, wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has an average index contrast of greater than about 0.1, a molecular size of at least about 1 nm in at least one spatial dimension, wherein the polymerizable material comprises at least one reactive functional group and at least one index-contrasting group, wherein the index contrasting group is substantially absent from the support matrix, and wherein the photoactive polymerizable material includes one or more of the following parameters: (1) a distance between at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group which is at least to the average radius of the index-contrasting group; (2) two or more reactive groups per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material; (3) an index-contrasting group having a strong chromophore absorption at a wavelength shorter than the recording wavelength, or (4) the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a reactive nanoparticle.
28 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the article comprises a holographic storage medium comprising the support matrix and the photoactive polymerizable material.
29 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the support matrix comprises a thermoset polymer.
30 . The article of claim 28 wherein the support matrix comprises a thermoplastic.
31 . The article of claim 28 , which further comprises a pair of substrates and wherein the holographic medium is positioned between the substrates.
32 . The article of claim 31 , wherein each of the substrates comprises a glass plate.
33 . The article of claim 31 , wherein each of the substrates comprises a plastic plate.
34 . The article of claim 28 , wherein the holographic storage medium further comprises a photoinitiator for the photoactive polymerizable material.
35 . The article of claim 27 , which is in the form of an optical waveguide.
36 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has the parameter of a distance between at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group which is at least equal to the average radius of the index-contrasting group.
37 . The article of claim 36 , wherein the distance between the at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group is at least equal to the average diameter of the index-contrasting group.
38 . The article of claim 37 , wherein the distance between the at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group is equal to from about 2 and about 4 diameters of the index-contrasting group.
39 . The article of claim 37 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a linking moiety between the at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group.
40 . The article of claim 39 , wherein the linking moiety is selected from the following linking moieties:
wherein n is in the range of from 1 to 50.
41 . The article of claim 39 , wherein the linking moiety is selected from the following linking moieties:
wherein n is in the range of from 1 to 50.
42 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has the parameter of two or more reactive groups per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material.
43 . The article of claim 42 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has the more than two reactive groups per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material.
44 . The article of claim 43 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has at least one very reactive group and at least one less reactive group per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material.
45 . The article of claim 44 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has two or more very reactive groups and two or more less reactive groups per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material.
46 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has the parameter of an index-contrasting group having a strong chromophore absorption at a wavelength shorter than the recording wavelength.
47 . The article of claim 46 , wherein the index-contrasting group has a chromophore absorption with a molar extinction of greater than about 10,000.
48 . The article of claim 47 , wherein the index-contrasting group has a chromophore absorption with a molar extinction of greater than about 50,000.
49 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a reactive nanoparticle.
50 . The article of claim 49 , wherein the reactive nanoparticles have a particle size of less than about 200 nm.
51 . The article of claim 50 , wherein the reactive nanoparticles have a particle size of less than about 100 nm.
52 . The article of claim 51 , wherein the reactive nanoparticles have a particle size of less than about 20 nm.
53 . The article of claim 49 , wherein the reactive nanoparticles comprise a shell of lower contrast material.
54 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a monomer having the following formula:
55 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a monomer having the following formula:
wherein n is in the range of from 1 to 50.
56 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the reactive group comprises at least one of the following groups: an unsaturated double bond, a cyclic ether, a cyclic carbonate, a cyclic ester, or a dioxalane.
57 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the reactive group comprises a mixture of an acrylate group with at least one of the following groups: methacrylate, styrene, vinyl ether, or vinyl carbazole.
58 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the reactive group comprises a mixture of a cyclohexeneoxide group with at least one of the following groups: a vinyl carbazole, a glycidyl ether, an allyl glycidyl ether, a cyclic ester, or a cyclic carbonate.
59 . The article of claim 27 , wherein the photoactive polymerizable material is dispersed in the support matrix.
60 . A method which comprises the following steps:
a. providing an article comprising a holographic storage medium, wherein the holographic medium comprises: a support matrix, and at least one index-contrasting photoactive polymerizable material present in the support matrix, wherein the photoactive polymerizable material has an average index contrast of greater than about 0.1, a molecular size of at least about 1 nm in at least one spatial dimension, wherein the polymerizable material comprises at least one reactive functional group and at least one index-contrasting group, wherein the index-contrasting group is substantially absent from the support matrix, and wherein the photoactive polymerizable material includes one or more of the following parameters: (1) a distance between at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group which is at least to the average radius of the index-contrasting group; (2) two or more reactive groups per each molecule of photoactive polymerizable material; (3) an index-contrasting group having a strong chromophore absorption at a wavelength shorter than the recording wavelength, or (4) the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a reactive nanoparticles; and
b. exposing the article to a photoinitiating light source to cause the photoactive polymerizable material to form a photopolymer to thereby record at least one hologram in the holographic medium.
61 . The method of claim 60 , wherein the article of step (a) further comprises a photoinitiator for the photoactive polymerizable material, and wherein the photoinitiating light source of step (b) activates the photoinitiator to cause the photoactive polymerizable material to form the photopolymer.
62 . The method of claim 60 , wherein the photoinitiating light source of step (b) comprises recording light.
63 . The method of claim 62 , wherein holographic data is recorded in the holographic medium in step (b).