Abstract: An enhanced K-type polarizer includes a molecularly oriented sheet of polyvinylalcohol/polyvinylene block copolymer material having polyvinylene blocks formed by molecular dehydration of a sheet of polyvinylalcohol wherein the molecularly oriented sheet comprises light-polarizing molecules of polyvinylalcohol/polyvinylene block copolymer material varying in length, n, of conjugated repeating vinylene unit of the polyvinylene block, wherein an absorption concentration of each of the polyvinylene blocks in the range of n=19 to 25 is not less than approximately 65% of the absorption concentration of any of the polyvinylene blocks in the range of n=14 or 15, wherein the absorption concentration is determined by absorption of wavelengths from about 200 nm to about 700 nm by the polyvinylene blocks, and wherein the molecularly oriented sheet exhibits a photopic dichroic ratio, RD, of at least approximately 75.

Abstract: An organic thin film transistor comprising a self-assembled monolayer interposed between a gate dielectric and an organic semiconductor layer. The monolayer is a product of a reaction between the gate dielectric and a precursor to the self-assembled monolayer. The semiconductor layer comprises a material selected from an acene, substituted with at least one electron-donating group, halogen atom, or a combination thereof, or a benzo-annellated acene or polybenzo-annellated acene, which optionally is substituted with at least one electron-donating group, halogen atom, or a combination thereof. Methods of making a thin film transistor and an integrated circuit comprising thin film transistors.

Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented layer of a chromonic liquid crystalline material, wherein the chromonic liquid crystalline material comprises a chromonic material, a pre-tilt additive, and/or a cross-linking agent. The structure can be made by coating the chromonic liquid crystalline material onto the substrate and then drying or curing the coated substrate. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Liquid crystal displays containing such alignment structures and methods of making such displays are also described.

Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented film of a lyotropic nematic liquid crystalline material. Particularly useful lyotropic materials include a class of nematic liquid crystalline compounds known as chromonics. The substrates can be made by coating the lyotropic liquid crystal material onto the substrate to provide an oriented film of the lyotropic material. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Liquid crystal displays containing such alignment structures and methods of making such displays are also described.

Abstract: A method for making an enhanced intrinsic polarizer from a polymeric sheet having an original length and comprising a hydroxylated linear high polymer includes stretching the polymeric sheet to a stretched length of from greater than 5.0 times to about 7.0 times the original length, introducing a suitable dehydration catalyst to the polymeric sheet, and heating the polymeric sheet and the catalyst to effect partial dehydration of the polymeric sheet wherein light absorbing, vinylene block segments are formed.

Abstract: Provided is an organic thin film transistor comprising a self-assembled monolayer interposed between a gate dielectric and an organic semiconductor layer. The monolayer is a product of a reaction between the gate dielectric and a precursor to the self-assembled monolayer. The semiconductor layer comprises a material selected from an acene, substituted with at least one electron-donating group, halogen atom, or a combination thereof, or a benzo-annellated acene or polybenzo-annellated acene, which optionally is substituted with at least one electron-donating group, halogen atom, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An enhanced K-type polarizer includes a molecularly oriented sheet of polyvinylalcohol/polyvinylene block copolymer material having polyvinylene blocks formed by molecular dehydradation of a sheet of polyvinylalcohol wherein the molecularly oriented sheet comprises light-polarizing molecules of polyvinylalcohol/polyvinylene block copolymer material varying in length, n, conjugated repeating vinylene unit of the polyvinylene block, wherein in absorption concentration of each of the polyvinylene blocks in the range of n=19 to 25 is not less than approximately 65% of the absorption concentration of any of the polyvinylene blocks in the range of n=14 or 15, wherein the absorption concentration is determined by absorption of wavelengths from about 200 nm to about 700 nm by the polyvinylene blocks, and wherein the molecularly oriented sheet exhibits a photopic dichroic, RD, of at approximately 75.

Abstract: Substituted pentacene compounds comprise at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of electron-donating substituents, halogen substituents, and combinations thereof; the substituent(s) each being bonded to a carbon atom of a terminal ring of pentacene, and being the only substituent(s); with the proviso that when the compound has only two substituents, both of which are methyl or alkoxy, and one substituent is bonded to the number 2 carbon atom, the other substituent, if methyl, is bonded to the number 1, 3, 4, 8, or 11 carbon atom and, if alkoxy, is bonded to the number 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, or 11 carbon atom; and with the further proviso that when the compound has only four substituents, all of which are alkoxy, the substituents are bonded to the numbers 2, 3, 9, and 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A process for preparing substituted pentacene compounds comprises the step of cyclizing substituted bis(benzyl)phthalic acids using an acid composition comprising trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, the substituted bis(benzyl)phthalic acids being represented by the following general formulas: 1

Abstract: A process for preparing substituted pentacene compounds comprises the step of cyclizing substituted bis(benzyl)phthalic acids using an acid composition comprising trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, the substituted bis(benzyl)phthalic acids being represented by the following general formulas: 1

Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented film of a lyotropic nematic liquid crystalline material. Particularly useful lyotropic materials include a class of nematic liquid crystalline compounds known as chromonics. The substrates can be made by coating the lyotropic liquid crystal material onto the substrate to provide an oriented film of the lyotropic material. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Liquid crystal displays containing such alignment structures and methods of making such displays are also described.

Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented film of a lyotropic nematic liquid crystalline material. Particularly useful lyotropic materials include a class of nematic liquid crystalline compounds known as chromonics. The substrates can be made by coating the lyotropic liquid crystal material onto the substrate to provide an oriented film of the lyotropic material. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Optical devices containing such alignment structures and methods of making such devices are also described.

Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented film of a lyotropic nematic liquid crystalline material. Particularly useful lyotropic materials include a class of nematic liquid crystalline compounds known as chromonics. The substrates can be made by coating the lyotropic liquid crystal material onto the substrate to provide an oriented film of the lyotropic material. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Liquid crystal displays containing such alignment structures and methods of making such displays are also described.

Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented film of a lyotropic nematic liquid crystalline material. Particularly useful lyotropic materials include a class of nematic liquid crystalline compounds known as chromonics. The substrates can be made by coating the lyotropic liquid crystal material onto the substrate to provide an oriented film of the lyotropic material. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Optical devices containing such alignment structures and methods of making such devices are also described.

Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented layer of a chromonic liquid crystalline material, wherein the chromonic liquid crystalline material comprises a chromonic material, a pre-tilt additive, and/or a cross-linking agent. The structure can be made by coating the chromonic liquid crystalline material onto the substrate and then drying or curing the coated substrate. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Liquid crystal displays containing such alignment structures and methods of making such displays are also described.

Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented film of a lyotropic nematic liquid crystalline material. Particularly useful lyotropic materials include a class of nematic liquid crystalline compounds known as chromonics. The substrates can be made by coating the lyotropic liquid crystal material onto the substrate to provide an oriented film of the lyotropic material. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Optical devices containing such alignment structures and methods of making such devices are also described.

Abstract: A polarizer is described that is formed of a host matrix and a guest dye. The host matrix may be a lyotropic liquid crystal matrix having a predetermined orientation. A guest pleochroic dye may be disposed within the host lyotropic liquid crystal matrix. The guest pleochroic dye is oriented by the orientation of the host matrix.

Abstract: A composition of matter comprises an aromatic cyanate ester silane comprising at least one cyanate ester group and at least one hydrolyzable silyl group. In the presence of a cyanate ester resin the aromatic cyanate ester silane acts as a coupling agent to improve the adhesion of the cyanate ester to a substrate. The curable compositions are useful as reinforced composites, and as adhesive and coating compositions.

Abstract: A composition of matter comprises an aromatic cyanate ester silane comprising at least one cyanate ester group and at least one hydrolyzable silyl group. In the presence of a cyanate ester resin the aromatic cyanate ester silane acts as a coupling agent to improve the adhesion of the cyanate ester to a substrate. The curable compositions are useful as reinforced composites, and as adhesive and coating compositions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a convenient, simple, safe and efficient one-pot method for the synthesis of a number of diarlyiodonium triflate salts which does not involve sulfuric acid and which eliminates the need for any counter-ion exchange processes.