Abstract: An apparatus for positioning a sensor proximate to a fiberizer includes a support means for supporting a sensor, adjustment means for adjusting a position of the sensor, and attachment means for attaching the apparatus to a fiberizer. The adjustment means is coupled to the support means, and the attachment means is connected to the adjustment means.

Abstract: The double crucible for a glass drawing method has a heatable outer crucible (1) and an inner crucible (2) surrounded by the outer crucible (1), which is heatable separately from the outer crucible (1). Both crucibles (1,2) have an outlet nozzle (1a, 2a) for the glass to be drawn. To make glass fibers from heavy metal oxide glass (HMO-glass) with higher quality and comparatively simple crucible features, the outlet nozzle (1a) of the outer crucible (1) extends a certain distance beyond the outlet nozzle (2a) of the inner crucible (2). Surfaces of the outlet nozzles coming in contact with the glass melt are polished and are provided on a material, which has a reducing action on heavy metal glass in the melt in all cases. These surfaces also have sufficient mechanical strength for and chemical inertness to heavy metal oxide glass.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a system and method for the automated casting of infrared glass optical components is provided. The system includes a mold for casting infrared glass into lenses, a mold chamber operable to heat the mold to a temperature above the melting temperature of the infrared glass, and a casting chamber operable to fill the mold with molten infrared glass. The method includes heating a mold in a mold chamber to a temperature above the melting temperature of infrared glass, casting molten infrared glass into the mold in a casting chamber; and cooling the mold to a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the infrared glass.

Abstract: Techniques for producing a glass structure having interconnected macroscopic pores, employing steps of filling polymerizable glass precursors into pores in a polymeric structure having interconnected macroscopic pores; polymerizing the precursors; and decomposing the polymers to produce a glass oxide structure having interconnected macroscopic pores. Further techniques employ steps of exposing portions of a photosensitive medium including glass precursors to an optical interference pattern; polymerizing or photodeprotecting the exposed portions and removing unpolymerized or deprotected portions; and decomposing the polymerized or deprotected portions to produce a glass structure having interconnected macroscopic pores. Techniques for filling pores of such glass structure with a material having a high refractive index, and for then removing the glass structure.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing chalcogenide glass are provided that allow for larger quantities of glass to be produced with lower production costs and less risks of environmental hazards. The system includes a reaction container operable to hold chalcogenide glass constituents during a glass formation reaction, a stirring rod operable to mix the contents of the reaction container, a thermocouple operable to measure the temperature inside the reaction container, and a reaction chamber operable to hold the reaction container. The method includes placing chalcogenide glass constituents in a reaction container, heating the chalcogenide glass constituents above the melting point of at least one of the constituents, promoting dissolving or reaction of the other constituents, stirring the reaction melt, maintaining an overpressure of at least one atmosphere over the reaction melt, and cooling the reaction melt to below the chalcogenide glass transition temperature.

Abstract: Silica sol techniques are described for making thick silica or silica based films useful for planar optical waveguides. The process involves coating of a colloidal silica sol onto a substrate, drying the sol, and consolidating the dried sol to form the planar waveguide. Coating is performed in a simple operation, either by dipping, or preferably by spin coating. In a preferred embodiment the substrate is coated with a wetting agent prior to spin coating. It is found that the wetting agent substantially improves the thickness uniformity of the layer. Thick waveguide layers may be produced by repeating the coating process one or more times to produce a layer with the desired thickness. Buried waveguides are produced by forming a doped core layer, patterning the doped core layer and using the coating technique of the invention to form the cladding material.

Abstract: A system and method for forming infrared glass optical components are provided. The system includes first and second mold halves having first and second respective faces. The first and second mold halves are configured to be removably coupled such that the first face and the second face form an interface that defines a lens-shaped cavity. A tapered surface of the first face cooperates with a tapered surface of the second face to enhance centering of the first face with respect to the second face.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an improved sheet glass forming apparatus. In another embodiment, a precise thermal control system redistributes the flow of molten glass at the weirs to counteract the degradation of the sheet forming apparatus which inevitably occurs during manufacturing. In yet another embodiment, the invention introduces a counteracting force to the stresses on the trough in a manner such that the thermal creep which inevitably occurs has a minimum impact on the glass flow characteristics of the forming trough. Another embodiment creates a variable external cross-section which provides hydraulic stresses that are in opposition to the surface tension and body force stresses and thus, reduces the influence of surface tension and body forces. In an alternative embodiment, the glass is preferentially cooled across its width to create forming stresses during solidification, which ensures that the glass sheet drawn is inherently flat.

Abstract: A method for bending a sheet of glass involving heating the sheet of glass to a softening temperature, transporting the sheet of glass in an essentially horizontal path as far as a station for bending the sheet of glass between two forms, shaping the sheet of glass by pressing between the two forms, and cooling the sheet of glass in an appropriate station. Shaped rollers receive the sheet of glass after it has been bent and the rollers are oriented parallel to the direction defined on the sheet of glass by the direction in which it is conveyed into the bending station.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus is provided and includes the steps of bringing panel members that constitute a display panel of the image display apparatus into a bake processing chamber, subjecting to bake processing the display panel members, lowering a temperature of the display panel members, and bringing the display panel members into a seal-bonding processing chamber. Seal-bonding processing is conducted by local heating to a seal-bonding portion.

Abstract: A glass substrate is irradiated with a converged laser beam to thereby form a spherical or nearly spherical convex portion on a surface of the glass substrate. More preferably, there may be used a method including the steps of: sticking a glass substrate to a flat member having a predetermined spherical or aspherical concave portion formed therein; and irradiating a converged laser beam onto a surface of the glass substrate just under the concave portion while making the converged laser beam penetrate through the flat member to thereby form a spherical or aspherical convex portion in the inside of the concave portion in accordance with the shape of the concave portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing ultraprecise lenses, including aspherical lenses, not requiring grinding or polishing after press molding. The method comprises heating a glass material to a temperature corresponding to a glass viscosity of from 105 to 109 dPaS so that the glass material is softened, and press molding the glass material with the pressing molds which are heated to a temperature corresponding to a glass viscosity of from 108 to 1012 dPaS. Provided that the glass material is not heated to a temperature as high as that corresponding to a glass viscosity of 105 dPaS when the pressing mold is heated to a temperature corresponding to a glass viscosity of 108 and that the glass material is not heated to a temperature as low as that corresponding to a glass viscosity of 109 dPaS when the pressing mold is heated to a temperature corresponding to a glass viscosity of 1012 dPaS.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a glass substrate for an information recording medium, which is advantageous in that oozing of an alkali and deformation of a texture are suppressed. The glass substrate is chemically reinforced, and a texture is formed in the glass substrate, and then treated with a neutral or alkaline aqueous solution. In the texture forming step, the surface of the glass substrate is etched in a depth of 0.5 to 10 nm.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending glass substrate(s) are provided. Microwave radiation is used to heat glass substrate(s) for bending. As a result, a coating supported by the substrate(s) is not heated as much during the bending process compared to if only conventional IR radiation was used. Thus, more extreme degrees of glass bending may be achieved, and/or the likelihood of coating damage reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing optical glasses and colored glasses with the aid of a fluid phase sintering process from a basic material encompassing at least SiO.sub.2 powder as well as additives for reducing the temperature of the fluid phase sintering and/or melting process encompassing the following steps: the starting materials are dissolved in any sequence in a fluid medium to produce a solution as far as is possible and a suspension to the extent that they are not dispersed in solution; a greenbody is produced from the dissolved and dispersed starting materials; the greenbody is dried the dried greenbody is fluid-phase sintered at temperatures below 1200° C., in particular in the temperature range from 600° C. to 1200° C.

Abstract: A process for the production of durable photocatalytically active self-cleaning coating on glass by contacting a hot glass surface with a fluid mixture of titanium chloride, a source of oxygen and a tin precursor. The coating preferably comprises less than 10 atom % tin in the bulk of the coating and preferably there is a greater atomic percent tin in the surface of the coating than there is in the bulk of the coating. Preferably, the coating is durable to abrasion and humidity cycling.

Abstract: A mold cooling system is disclosed for the blank mold halves of an I.S. machine. The mold halves are supported at their bottom by a lower hanger assembly which includes a discrete plenum for each of the mold halves. Each plenum is isolated and has its own air supply which includes an adjustable flow control. This provides complete control of the mold cooling process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating glass sheets in preparation of tempering. A furnace (1) is provided with upper and lower convection blasting conduits (11, 14) extending lengthwise of the furnace. The furnace is also provided with upper and lower radiation heating elements (12, 16). The convection heating air is pressurized with a compressor (3), cleaned with a filter (4). The upper convection heating air is heated with air discharged from the furnace in a plurality of separate heat exchangers (7), through which the convection heating air is passed into the upper convection blasting conduits (11). The amount of air discharged from the furnace (1) through the heat exchangers (7) is substantially equal to that blasted into the furnace for convection heating.

Abstract: The level of precious-metal inclusions in glass products, e.g., glass substrates for liquid crystal displays, is reduced by stirring molten glass in a stir chamber (11) under conditions such that the magnitude of the shear stress ? on the chamber's wall (19) and on the surfaces of the stirrer (13) is reduced while at the same time, the Q•E product for the system is kept high, where Q is the flow of glass through the stirring system and E is the system's stirring effectiveness.

Abstract: A transfer arm holds a plurality of preforms arranged in a single line and simultaneously drops and supplies the preforms downward. A positioning arm has a pair of arm split members split in its widthwise direction. The arm split members have positioning surfaces formed on their contact surfaces to be brought into contact with outer peripheries of the preforms. After the preforms are dropped and supplied from the transfer arm, the arm split members of the positioning arm are opened and closed so that the positioning surfaces are brought into contact with the outer peripheries of the preforms. Thus, the performs are properly positioned.