Abstract: A tilting mount for controlling the angular tilting or rocking displacement of a support member. The tilting mount comprises an outer elastomeric member and an inner sleeve with an annular flange. An end of the support member is inserted in a bore that extends through the sleeve. The mount is adapted to be seated in a base, and a cup substantially overlays the mount. As the support member is tilted and displaced from its vertical position, diagonally disposed portions of the mount member are compressed between the flange and both the cup and base in order to facilitate and control the angular displacement of the support member. The elastomeric member provides snubbing that limits the angular displacement of the support member.

Abstract: A system for supporting an auxiliary power unit in an aircraft tailcone wherein the auxiliary power unit is supported by a focalized suspension system supporting the power unit, the focalized suspension system having a plurality of support means each having a line of action, the lines of action intersecting at the focal point. The support system simplifies removal and installation of the auxiliary power unit from and into the aircraft's tailcone.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reflective masks and their use for reflecting extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray photons to enable the use of extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray radiation projection lithographic methods and systems for producing integrated circuits and forming patterns with extremely small feature dimensions. The projection lithographic method includes providing an illumination sub-system for producing and directing an extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray radiation &lgr; from an extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray source; providing a mask sub-system illuminated by the extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray radiation &lgr; produced by the illumination sub-system and providing the mask sub-system includes providing a patterned reflective mask for forming a projected mask pattern when illuminated by radiation &lgr;.

Abstract: An article of relatively pure silica, and a furnace and method of producing the article. The article is produced by collecting molten silica particles in a refractory furnace in which at least a portion of the refractory has been exposed to a halogen-containing gas to react with contaminating metal ions in the refractory.

Abstract: A method of writing a pattern, such as a waveguide, in a bulk glass substrate. The bulk glass substrate can be formed from, for example, borosilicate or sulfide or lead glass. A pulsed laser beam is focused within the substrate while the focus is translated relative to the substrate along a scan path at a scan speed effective to induce an increase in the refractive index of the material along the scan path. Substantially no laser induced physical damage of the material is incurred along the scan path. Various optical devices can be made using this method.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for making fused silica glass. A liquid, preferably halide-free, silicon-containing compound capable of being converted by thermal oxidative decomposition to SiO2 is provided and introduced directly into the flame of a combustion burner, thereby forming finely divided amorphous soot. The amorphous soot is deposited on a receptor surface where, either substantially simultaneously with or subsequently to its deposition, the soot is consolidated into a body of fused silica glass. The invention further relates to an apparatus for forming fused silica from liquid, preferably halide-free, silicon-containing reactants which includes: a combustion burner which, in operation, generates a flame; an injector for supplying a liquid silicon-containing compound to the flame to convert the compound by thermal oxidative decomposition to a finely divided amorphous soot; and a receptor surface on which the soot is deposited.

Abstract: A method for producing below 200 nm transmitting optical fluoride crystals includes loading a fluoride raw material into a vertical stack having at least 6 crystal growth chambers, heating the vertical stack to a temperature sufficient to maintain the fluoride raw material in a molten condition, applying a crystal growth thermal gradient to the vertical stack to form optical fluoride crystals within the molten fluoride raw material, and cooling the crystals.

Abstract: A lithographic stage includes a platen having a top face and a bottom face and a holder for holding an optical component on the top face of the platen. The platen is made of a light-weight material such as high purity fused silica or ultra low expansion glass. The bottom face of the platen may further include means for connecting to a positioning device in an extreme ultraviolet lithography system.

Abstract: High purity direct deposit vitrified silicon oxyfluoride glass suitable for use as a photomask substrates for photolithography applications in the VUV wavelength region below 190 nm is disclosed. The inventive direct deposit vitrified silicon oxyfluoride glass is transmissive at wavelengths around 157 nm, making it particularly useful as a photomask substrate at the 157 nm wavelength region. The inventive photomask substrate is a dry direct deposit vitrified silicon oxyfluoride glass which exhibits very high transmittance in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) wavelength region while maintaining the excellent thermal and physical properties generally associated with high purity fused silica. In addition to containing fluorine and having little or no OH content, the inventive direct deposit vitrified silicon oxyfluoride glass suitable for use as a photomask substrate at 157 nm is also characterized by having less than 1×1017 molecules/cm3 of molecular hydrogen and low chlorine levels.

Abstract: The invention includes a method of finishing a polycrystal silicon nitride surface. The method of finishing the polycrystal silicon nitride includes providing a polycrystal silicon nitride composite which includes a plurality of silicon nitride crystal grains and a glassy-phase grain boundary medium. The method further includes providing an abrading finishing mixture with the finishing mixture including an abrasive and an oxidant. The method includes concurrently oxidizing the silicon nitride grains and abrading the silicon nitride composite to provide a finished polycrystal silicon nitride surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides photonic devices utilized in optical telecommunications. The photonic devices include photosensitive bulk glass bodies which contain Bragg gratings, particularly with the ultraviolet photosensitive bulk glass bodies directing optical telecommunications wavelength range bands. Preferably the ultraviolet photosensitive bulk glass bodies are batch meltable alkali boro-alumino-silicate bulk glass bodies.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of rendering fused silica resistant to compaction caused by UV laser beam irradiation. The method of the invention results is a fused silica member that is desensitized to compaction caused by the long-term exposure to UV laser beams. The invention includes a means to pre-compact fused silica members using high energy radiation.

Abstract: High purity silicon oxyfluoride glass suitable for use as a photomask substrates for photolithography applications in the VUV wavelength region below 190 nm is disclosed. The inventive silicon oxyfluoride glass is transmissive at wavelengths around 157 nm, making it particularly useful as a photomask substrate at the 157 nm wavelength region. The inventive photomask substrate is a “dry,” silicon oxyfluoride glass which exhibits very high transmittance in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) wavelength region while maintaining the excellent thermal and physical properties generally associated with high purity fused silica. In addition to containing fluorine and having little or no OH content, the inventive silicon oxyfluoride glass suitable for use as a photomask substrate at 157 nm is also characterized by having less than 1×1017 molecules/cm3 of molecular hydrogen and low chlorine levels.

Abstract: This invention relates to production of high purity fused silica glass doped with titania using titanium chelates. Useful chelates include titanium acetylacetonate, and titanium ethyl acetoacetate among others.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the quality of an optical material includes obtaining a fluorescence spectrum of the optical material, obtaining a fluorescence spectrum of a reference material having desired performance in a target application, and determining whether a shape of the spectrum of the optical material is similar to a shape of the spectrum of the reference material. If the shape of the spectrum of the optical material is similar to the shape of the spectrum of the reference material, the method includes indicating that the optical material is suitable for the target application; otherwise, the method includes indicating that the optical material is unsuitable for the target application.

Abstract: An optical component comprising one or more optical elements (35′) aligned with the end(s) of one or more waveguides (25′) is fabricated by a process in which, first of all, a doped silica core layer (20) is deposited on a substrate (10) (or on a buffer layer on the substrate), and subsequently a partial overclad layer (30A) typically 1-5 &mgr;m thick is deposited on the core layer. The partial overclad layer and core layer are patterned and etched so as simultaneously to define the optical element(s) and the waveguide core(s). Afterwards, the overclad is completed by depositing a further overclad layer (30B). In the case of application of this fabrication method to a grating-based NBWDM device, the metallisation of the grating can precede or follow the deposition of the second overclad portion (30B). In either case, low-temperature deposition processes are required for deposition of this second overclad portion.

Abstract: The invention provides optical projection lithography methods, photolithography photomasks, and optical photolithography mask blanks for use in optical photolithography systems utilizing deep ultraviolet light (DUV) wavelengths below 300 nm, such as DUV projection lithography systems utilizing wavelengths in the 248 nm region and the 193 nm region. The invention provides improved production of lithography patterns by inhibiting polarization mode dispersion of lithography light utilizing low birefringence mask blanks and photomasks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reflective masks and their use for reflecting extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray photons to enable the use of extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray radiation projection lithographic methods and systems for producing integrated circuits and forming patterns with extremely small feature dimensions. The projection lithographic method includes providing an illumination sub-system for producing and directing an extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray radiation &lgr; from an extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray source; providing a mask sub-system illuminated by the extreme ultraviolet soft x-ray radiation &lgr; produced by the illumination sub-system and providing the mask sub-system includes providing a patterned reflective mask for forming a projected mask pattern when illuminated by radiation &lgr;.

Abstract: The invention provides coated optical lithography elements and methods of coating optical elements, and particularly optical photolithography elements for use in below 240 nm optical photolithography systems utilizing vacuum ultraviolet light (VUV) lithography wavelengths no greater than about 193 nm, such as VUV projection lithography systems utilizing wavelengths in the 193 nm or 157 nm region. The optical devices manipulate vacuum ultraviolet lithography light less than 250 nm utilizing a deposited silicon oxyfluoride film. The deposited silicon oxyfluoride optical coating assists in the manipulation of incident light and protects the underlying optical materials, layers, and surfaces.

Abstract: A polycrystalline alkali-metal or alkaline-earth metal (more particularly CaF2) fluorides, produced in an original form, namely in the form of beads; said beads having a diameter or equivalent diameter greater than or equal to 100 um, advantageously between 100 um and 2 cm and an apparent density greater than or equal to 60%, advantageously at least 90% of the theoretical density of said fluoride. A process for the preparation of single crystals of the corresponding alkali-metal or alkaline-earth metal fluorides that uses polycrystalline fluorides in the aforementioned original form.