Abstract: A polarizing effect is achieved for light having wavelengths less than 250 nm by orienting an antireflector at an incidence angle between 65° and 75°. Despite limited choices for materials, the antireflector is constructed of layers that alternate in refractive index to exploit the mechanism of interference for limiting the reflectivity of one linear polarization component of the light. The same combination of layers supports the reflectivity of an orthogonal linear polarization component. The light reflected from the antireflector is highly polarized.

Abstract: Microlenses including wire-grid polarizers and methods for their manufacture are disclosed. The method involves forming wire-grid polarizer patterns on a surface of the microlens. The devices and methods provide simple and economical microlenses with polarizers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a grid polarizer comprising a substrate; and a plurality of stacked metal and dielectric layers, having a width w, disposed on the substrate and forming a parallel grid of stacked layers. The stacked layers are spaced apart to form a repetition space between the stacked layers, such that no diffraction orders are allowed to propagate except the zero order. The grid polarizer that is capable of transmitting substantially all illumination of a given polarization while suppressing at least of portion of the illumination reflected due to an orthogonal polarization component.

Abstract: Polarizing glass articles, optical isolators including polarizing glass articles, and methods of manufacturing polarizing glass articles and optical isolators are disclosed. The methods manufacture can be used to manufacture isolators exhibiting improved contrast ratio.

Abstract: A fiber lens includes a graded-index lens, a single-mode fiber disposed at a first end of the graded-index lens, and a refractive lens having a hyperbolic or near-hyperbolic shape disposed at a second end of the graded-index lens to focus a beam from the single-mode fiber to a diffraction-limited spot.

Abstract: A birefringence correction is incorporated into an optical imaging system for imaging with deep ultraviolet light. Optical elements which exhibit an intrinsic birefringence with deep ultraviolet light are arranged in a fashion that renders accumulated birefringence less sensitive to the angular orientation of the beam's rays around the optical axis. A compensating optic corrects a residual radially symmetric component of the birefringence.

Abstract: Compound surfaces of a test object are interferometrically measured by a multi-beam probe. One of two measuring beams emerges from the probe at a fixed angle for measuring one of the compound surfaces, and the other measuring beam emerges from the probe at a variable angle for measuring a plurality of other compound surfaces.

Abstract: A collimator array, a fiber array and a method for fabricating the fiber array are described herein. In one embodiment, that fiber array includes a plurality of optical fibers and a glass plate with a plurality of holes in each of which there is secured one of the optical fibers, wherein the holes were formed by etching away a plurality of opal regions within an exposed and heated photosensitive glass which after the etching became the glass plate. In another embodiment, the fiber array includes a plurality of optical fibers and a glass plate with a plurality of holes in each of which there is secured one of the optical fibers, wherein the holes were formed by etching away a plurality of opal regions within an exposed and heated photosensitive glass which after the etching became the glass plate that included a plurality of oversized holes which were filled with a moldable material that was then drilled to form the holes.

Abstract: A method for forming EUV LITHOGRAPHY GLASS STRUCTURES WITH VOIDS is disclosed which includes forming a slurry mixture including silica soot particles, and inserting the slurry mixture into a casting mold. The method provides low weight mass reduced rigid glass structures with beneficial thermal stability. The casting mold includes therein a casting form. The casting form is adapted to provide selected geometry void spaces within the glass lithography structure. The slurry mixture is dried to form a green ware object. The casting form is removed from the green ware and the green ware object is consolidated into a lithography glass structure with voids.

Abstract: A reflective afocal telescope is described herein that has multiple field of views and can be packaged in a compact arrangement. In one embodiment, the reflective telescope includes two entrance pupils, a primary mirror, a secondary mirror, a tertiary mirror, a quaternary mirror, a moveable fold mirror and an exit pupil. The fold mirror can be moved into a non-bypass position and out of the way such that the incident beams transverse the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary mirrors and form a collimated region and a real external exit pupil. Or, the fold mirror can be moved into a bypass position where the incident beams bypass the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary mirrors and instead reflect off the fold mirror directly to the exit pupil. In an alternative embodiment, the tertiary mirror instead of the fold mirror can be moved into either the bypass position or the non-bypass position.

Abstract: A multi-lens apparatus for altering the mode field of an optical signal is disclosed. The apparatus includes an optical fiber having a core region defining an optical axis and a GRIN-fiber lens positioned in relation to one end of the optical fiber. A biconic lens including an external surface defined by two different curves disposed substantially orthogonal to one another, a major curve C1 and a minor curve C2, with C1 and C2 intersecting at or near the optical axis is positioned in relation to an end of the GRIN-fiber lens remote from the fiber. A method of manufacturing a multi-lens apparatus for altering the mode field of an optical signal, and an optical assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substantially transparent glass-ceramic ceramic, and a method for making a glass-ceramic, exhibiting an aluminogallate spinel crystal phase and having a glass-ceramic composition that lies within the SiO2—Al2O3—ZnO—K2O—Ga2O3—Na2O system and particularly consisting essentially, in weight percent on an oxide basis, of 25-50% SiO2, 15-45% ZnO, 0-26% Al2O3, 0-25% K2O, 0-10% Na2O, 0-32% Ga2O3, a K2O+Na2O amount of greater than 10%, a Al2O3+Ga2O3 of greater than 10%, the glass ceramic microstructure containing a crystal phase comprising at least 15%, by weight, of hexagonal ZnO crystals. Another aspect disclosed is optical element selected from the group consisting of an optical fiber, a gain or laser medium, and an amplifier component, a saturable absorber, with the element comprising a transparent glass-ceramic of the same composition and containing a crystallinity of at least about 15% by weight of hexagonal ZnO crystals.

Abstract: Articles and methods for positioning lensed fiber elements and optical devices are disclosed. The articles and methods include a lens gripping element and a fiber gripping element disposed on a planar substrate. The articles and methods are useful for manufacturing optical fiber and lens arrays and waveguide devices.

Abstract: A method of making a capillary splice includes applying pressure to a bore in a tube, applying heat to a portion of the tube to soften the portion of the tube, and forming a bubble within the bore in the heated portion under the influence of the pressure and heat. While forming the bubble, a diameter of the bore at the heated portion is measured to determine when the bubble has enlarged to a target size. When the bubble has enlarged to the target size, a force is applied along an axial axis of the tube to shape the bubble to a desired size.

Abstract: A fused silica production furnace and methods of producing fused silica are disclosed. The furnace and the methods involve using a foamed refractory having a network of interconnected pores.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polarizer-attached optical fiber ferrule, a polarizer-attached optical fiber connector, and a polarized-attached optical fiber connector adapter for coupling a linear polarizer with one or more optical fibers without employing a lens. The polarizer-attached optical fiber connector 2 is equipped with an optical fiber 10, a ferrule 5 fitted on the periphery of the optical fiber 10 and equipped with a slit 16 reaching the optical fiber 10, and a linear polarizer 18 inserted into the slit 16 so that it crosses the optical fiber 10.

Abstract: A lens array and a method for fabricating a lens array that is relatively flat and has useful lenses with relatively uniform sag heights are described herein. In one embodiment, the lens array includes a one-dimensional array of useful lens and two sacrificial lens each of which is formed next to an end of a row of the useful lenses. In another embodiment, the lens array includes a two-dimensional array of useful lens and a plurality of perimeter sacrificial lens each of which is formed next to an end of a row or a column of the useful lenses. In yet another embodiment, the lens array includes an array of useful lenses and a glass region (including possibly a glass matrix) located within a opal border and outside a opal region that surrounds the useful lenses.

Abstract: The invention provides an ultraviolet lithography method/system. The lithography method and system include providing a below 200 nm radiation source, providing a photolytically improved transmitting fused silica glass lithography optical element, transmitting below 200 nm photons through said photolytically improved transmitting fused silica glass lithography optical element to form a lithography pattern which is reduced and projected onto a radiation sensitive lithography printing medium to form a printed lithography pattern. Providing the photolytically improved transmitting fused silica glass lithography optical element includes providing a photolytically improved transmitting fused silica glass lithography optical element preform body and forming the photolytically improved transmitting fused silica glass lithography optical element preform into said lithography optical element.

Abstract: An apparatus for altering the mode field of an optical signal is disclosed. The apparatus includes a GRIN-fiber lens and a reflective surface disposed at one end of the GRIN-fiber lens, the reflective surface configured to cooperate with the GRIN-fiber lens to redirect the path of the optical signal directed against the reflective surface. A method of manufacturing an apparatus for altering the mode field of an optical signal and an optical assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to UV (ultraviolet) photosensitive bulk glass, and particularly to batch meltable alkali boro-alumino-silicate glasses. The photosensitive bulk glass of the invention exhibits photosensitivity to UV wavelengths below 300 nm. The photosensitivity of the alkali boro-alumino-silicate bulk glass to UV wavelengths below 300 nm provide for the making of refractive index patterns in the glass. With a radiation source below 300 nm, such a laser, refractive index patterns are formed in the glass. The inventive photosensitive optical refractive index pattern forming bulk glass allows for the formation of patterns in glass and devices which utilize such patterned glass.