Acrylic copolymers exhibiting nonlinear optical response

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
An isotropic acrylic copolymer which is characterized by recurring monomeric units corresponding to the formula: ##STR9## where m and m.
sup.
1 are integers which total at least 10, and the m monomer comprises between about 10-90 mole percent of the total m+m.
sup.
1 monomer units; R is hydrogen or C.
sub.
1 -C.
sub.
4 alkyl, C.
sub.
6 -C.
sub.
10 aryl, halo or haloalkyl substituent; n is an integer between about 1-12; R.
sup.
1 is a C.
sub.
1 -C.
sub.
6 alkyl substituent; R.
sup.
2 is hydrogen or a C.
sub.
1 -C.
sub.
4 alkyl substituent; and Z is a nitro or cyano substituent.
2.
An acrylic copolymer in accordance with claim 1 which has a weight average molecular weight in the range between about 5000-200,000.
3.
An acrylic copolymer in accordance with claim 1 which has a glass transition temperature in the range between about 40.
degree.
-150.
degree.
C.
4.
A transparent nonlinear optical medium comprising a copolymer in accordance with claim 1.
5.
A transparent nonlinear optical medium in accordance with claim 4 which is characterized by an external field-induced orientation of aligned m monomer side chains.
6.
An isotropic acrylic copolymer which is characterized by recurring monomeric units corresponding to the formula: ##STR10## where m and m.
sup.
1 are integers which total at least 20, and the m monomer comprises between about 20-80 mole percent of the total m+m.
sup.
1 monomer units; R' is hydrogen or a methyl substituent; n is an integer between about 1-12; R.
sup.
1 is a C.
sub.
1 -C.
sub.
6 alkyl substituent; and R.
sup.
2 is hydrogen or a C.
sub.
1 -C.
sub.
4 alkyl substituent.
7.
A transparent nonlinear optical medium comprising an acrylic copolymer in accordance with claim 6.
8.
A transparent nonlinear optical medium in accordance with claim 7 which is characterized by an external field-induced orientation of aligned m monomer side chains.
9.
An isotropic acrylic copolymer which is characterized by recurring monomeric units corresponding to the formula: ##STR11## where m and m