Process for forming an optical article

• Main Authors: SCHILLING, MARCIA LEA, SCHNOES, MELINDA LAMONT, HALE, ARTURO, DHAR, LISA, KATZ, HOWARD EDAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 29.09.1999
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F,C08G; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; CHEMISTRY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; ELECTROGRAPHY; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; HOLOGRAPHIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS; HOLOGRAPHY; MATERIALS THEREFOR; METALLURGY; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES,e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTORDEVICES; PHYSICS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; WORKING-UP

The optical article of the invention, e.g., holographic recording medium or polymeric waveguide, is formed by mixing a matrix precursor and a photoactive monomer, and curing the mixture to form the matrix in situ. The reaction by which the matrix precursor is polymerized during the cure is independent from the reaction by which the photoactive monomer is polymerized during writing of data. In addition, the matrix polymer and the polymer resulting from polymerization of the photoactive monomer are compatible with each other. Use of a matrix precursor and photoactive monomer that polymerize by independent reactions substantially prevents cross-reaction between the photoactive monomer and the matrix precursor during the cure and inhibition of subsequent monomer polymerization. Use of a matrix precursor and photoactive monomer that result in compatible polymers substantially avoids phase separation. And in situ formation allows fabrication of articles with desirable thicknesses.