Abstract: The invention relates to mesotubes and nanotubes (hollow fibers) having an inner diameter of 10 nm-50 &mgr;m and to a method for the production thereof. The hollow fibers can be produced by coating degradable materials with non-degradable materials, whereby the degradable materials are destroyed by thermal methods, for instance. The hollow fibers are used in separation technology, catalysis, micro-electronics, medical technology, material technology or in the clothing industry.

Abstract: A device for reversible optical information storage with a polymeric liquid crystalline storage medium, with the storage medium consisting of a macroscopically oriented film of a liquid crystalline polymer that contains photochromic groups, and with the information being stored by local disorientation of the molecules induced by photoisomerization by means of a selectively acting light source.

Abstract: A device for reversible optical data storage, comprising polymer film, the film comprising an amorphous polymer capable of photochromic isomerization, whereby data is reversibly stored in said polymer film and may be read by illuminating the isomerized polymer film with a light source.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for reversible optical data storage using polymeric liquid crystals with mesogenic side groups as a storage medium, arranged to store information by means of selective variation of the order of the polymeric liquid crystals be means of a heat source. The macroscopically oriented film made from the liquid crystal polymer is held in the solid form retaining condition of the liquid crystal polymer in the temperature range below the glass temperature T.sub.g >T.sub.a (room remperature) for the purpose of storing the information. The polymer is then selectively and locally heated by means of the heat source into the isotropic liquid condition and the local information is fixed in the glass condition of the polymer after the heat source is turned off.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for reversible optical information storage, which comprises polymeric liquid crystals as a storage medium. The device contains a film comprised of a liquid crystal main chain polymer, as a storage medium, and is constructed so that in the storage operation the storage medium is locally reoriented, and the information is stored by means of a local variation of the molecular ordering.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for reversible optical information storage by means of a liquid crystal storage medium, whereby the information is stored in a firm of a liquid crystal side chain polymer in an anisotropic phase by means of locally acting heat source in combination with an electric, magnetic or surfaces active field, through local reorientation.