Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a polymer structure comprising: mixing and unifying a matrix polymer made of a linear polymer and a highly-branched polymer having hydrophilic functional groups at molecular ends and to form a structure containing the matrix polymer and the highly-branched polymer; and subjecting the obtained structure to either immersion in water and/or a hydrophilic solvent or exposure to an atmosphere of vapor of water and/or a hydrophilic solvent at a temperature ranging from a temperature lower than Tg of the matrix polymer by 30° C. to decomposition temperature of the matrix polymer; wherein the hydrophilic functional groups at the molecular ends of the highly-branched polymer are distributed in outermost surface of the polymer structure at an enhanced density. The present invention also relates to a process for producing a polymer structure in which vinyl polymer chains are grafted to at least a part of the hydrophilic functional groups.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrochromic polymer compound composed of a hyperbranched polymer having electrochromic characteristics derived from a quaternary pyridinium salt, a terephthalic acid diester or a biphenyl-4,4?-diester structure, and a varnish, a thin film structure and an electrochromic device that are obtained by the polymer compound. The electrochromic material has high response speed, high coloring efficiency, and excellent repetition stability and can be used for a long time, and has excellent solubility in various solvents.

Abstract: Provided is a novel ion-pair charge-transfer complex polymer suitable for use as a photo-functional material which shows extremely fast photoresponses in the wide wavelength range from visible to near infrared regions, and thermally stable, wherein the acceptor is a substituted bipyridinium cation expressed by the formula (I) below. In the formula, X represents a group bonded at the 4- or 2-position relative to the nitrogen atoms of the bipyridinium group and selected from the group consisting of phenyl, biphenyl, thienyl, bithienyl, terthienyl, furyl, fluorenyl, pyrenyl, perylenyl, and vinyl groups, or X may not be present so that the pyridinium groups are directly connected; and Z represents a polymer preferably from the ring-opening polymerization of an oxazoline derivative (e.g. one substituted with phenyl group). The anion as the donor is selected, for example, from chloride, bromide, iodide, tetraphenylborate or derivatives thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrochromic polymer compound composed of a hyperbranched polymer having electrochromic characteristics derived from a quaternary pyridinium salt, a terephthalic acid diester or a biphenyl-4,4?-diester structure, and a varnish, a thin film structure and an electrochromic device that are obtained by the polymer compound. The electrochromic material has high response speed, high coloring efficiency, and excellent repetition stability and can be used for a long time, and has excellent solubility in various solvents.

Abstract: Provided is a novel ion-pair charge-transfer complex polymer suitable for use as a photo-functional material which shows extremely fast photoresponses in the wide wavelength range from visible to near infrared regions, and thermally stable. An ion-pair charge-transfer complex polymer wherein the acceptor is a substituted bipyridinium cation expressed by the formula (I) below. In the formula, X represents a group bonded at the 4- or 2-position relative to the nitrogen atoms of the bipyridinium group and selected from the group consisting of phenyl, biphenyl, thienyl, bithienyl, terthienyl, furyl, fluorenyl, pyrenyl, perylenyl, and vinyl groups, or X may not be present so that the pyridinium groups are directly connected; and Z represents a polymer preferably from the ring-opening polymerization of an oxazolinee derivative (e.g. one substituted with phenyl group). The anion as the donor is selected, for example, from chloride, bromide, iodide, tetraphenylborate or derivatives thereof.

Abstract: Presents a liquid crystal display device that does not require a surface orientation treatment, dramatically improves the response rate of dynamic image displays and does not experience light leaks when the display is black, which means to yield a dark field of vision. The liquid crystal display device comprises polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals sandwiched between a pair of clear substrates. The liquid crystal display device obtained using polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals exhibits large double refraction changes when an electrical field is applied in an in-plane direction to the cell substrates. The polymer-stabilized blue phases liquid crystals comprises a low molecular weight liquid crystal that allows a blue phase to appear between cholesteric and isotropic phases and polymer network formed in the low molecular weight liquid crystals.

Abstract: There is provided a novel, simple, general-purpose technique capable of being applied to the modification of the polymer surface and/or interface. A polymer structure whose surface and/or interface is modified is obtained by mixing a branched polymer (preferably a dendritic polymer, a comb-like polymer or a hyperbranched polymer) into a linear polymer as a matrix polymer to concentrate the branched polymer on the surface and/or interface of the matrix polymer.

Abstract: To provide a spatial optical modulation element having a long life free from a deterioration of optical modulation characteristics even if a high power laser beam with an ultra-short pulse is used as a modulation drive light. A spatial optical modulation element 1 wherein disposed between a prism 2 and an optical functional material layer 3 made of an optical functional material with the refractive index changeable by light irradiation, is a low refractive index layer 4 made of a transparent material with a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the dielectric. A spatial optical modulation method characterized in that using such a spatial optical modulation element 1, at the interface between the prism and the low refractive index layer, reflection of a to-be-modulated light 5 entering through the prism, is controlled by a modulation drive light 6.

Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To provide a liquid crystal display device that does not need any surface aligning treatment, realizes striking increase of a response speed of movie display and is free from any light leakage (produce dark field) at black display. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] There is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising a pair of transparent substrates and, interposed therebetween, a polymer stabilized blue-phase liquid crystal. The liquid crystal display device utilizing the polymer stabilized blue-phase liquid crystal exhibits a large birefringence change upon application of an electric field to cell substrate in an in-plane direction. The polymer stabilized blue-phase liquid crystal is composed of a low-molecular liquid crystal capable of developing a blue phase between cholesteric phase and isotropic phase and a polymer network created in the low-molecular liquid crystal.

Abstract: A biosample manipulation method according to the invention includes the steps of: providing a scanning probe microscope (3) with a cantilever (9) including a beam portion (15) with its base end supported in a cantilever manner, a probe (17) formed to protrude from the beam portion (15) and having a hollow (16) in itself, a fine hole (21) formed to penetrate from the hollow (16) to an outside of the probe (17) through the probe (17), and a first electrode (20) provided in the hollow (16): filling fluid (19) including a physiologically active substance or a substance for exciting a chemical reaction and having conductivity in the hollow (16) in the cantilever (9); placing a biosample (2) on a second electrode (12) formed of a conductive thin film: bringing the probe (17) of the cantilever (9) close to the biosample (2); applying a pulse voltage between the first electrode (20) and the second electrode (12) to thereby allow the fluid (19) to flow out of the fine hole (21) and inject the fluid (19) into the biosa

Abstract: To provide a spatial optical modulation element having a long life free from a deterioration of optical modulation characteristics even if a high power laser beam with an ultra-short pulse is used as a modulation drive light, and having a high response speed when e.g. a light having a wavelength of 1.55 ?m is used. A spatial optical modulation element wherein disposed between a prism 2 and an optical functional material layer 3 made of an optical functional material with the complex index of refraction changeable by light irradiation, is a low refractive index layer 4 made of a transparent material with a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the prism 2, and carbon nanotubes are used as the optical function material.

Abstract: To provide a spatial optical modulation element having a long life free from a deterioration of optical modulation characteristics even if a high power laser beam with an ultra-short pulse is used as a modulation drive light, and having a high response speed when e.g. a light having a wavelength of 1.55 ?m is used. A spatial optical modulation element wherein disposed between a prism 2 and an optical functional material layer 3 made of an optical functional material with the complex index of refraction changeable by light irradiation, is a low refractive index layer 4 made of a transparent material with a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the prism 2, and carbon nanotubes are used as the optical function material.

Abstract: To provide a spatial optical modulation element having a long life free from a deterioration of optical modulation characteristics even if a high power laser beam with an ultra-short pulse is used as a modulation drive light. A spatial optical modulation element 1 wherein disposed between a prism 2 and an optical functional material layer 3 made of an optical functional material with the refractive index changeable by light irradiation, is a low refractive index layer 4 made of a transparent material with a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the dielectric. A spatial optical modulation method characterized in that using such a spatial optical modulation element 1, at the interface between the prism and the low refractive index layer, reflection of a to-be-modulated light 5 entering through the prism, is controlled by a modulation drive light 6.