Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for preparing visible light optical polarizers using a non-halide silver salt and any glass composition that the non-halide silver salts is soluble, provided that the glass composition, including the silver salt, was a halide content that is, on a molar basis, 10% or less than the silver content, on a molar basis, of the glass composition. The silver containing glass is hydrogen reduced prior to stretching to form an optical polarizer. The invention enables one to form a visible light polarizer having a polarizing layer thickness in the range 10-40 ?m in which the silver particles have a surround index sufficiently removed from the blue polarizer region to allow good contrast.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a silver-containing polarizing boroaluminosilicate glass composition that has been doped with a noble metal selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Os, Ir, Rh and Ru, including mixtures thereof,to nucleate and precipitate silver ions to silver metal without the need for a reducing atmosphere step. The invention is further directed to a method for making the glass composition of the invention. Using the composition and method of the invention, one can prepare a glass having a selected null transmission range.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a silver-containing polarizing boroaluminosilicate glass composition that has been doped with a noble metal selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Os, Ir, Rh and Ru, including mixtures thereof, to nucleate and precipitate silver ions to silver metal without the need for a reducing atmosphere step. The invention is further directed to a method for making the glass composition of the invention. Using the composition and method of the invention, one can prepare a glass having a selected null transmission range.

Abstract: Polarizing glass articles and methods of manufacturing polarizing glass articles are disclosed. The method involves forming a polarizing layer on the surface of the glass article by ion-exchanging silver or copper into the surface.

Abstract: Planar waveguides having quantum dots and methods of manufacture of the planar waveguide are described.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a birefringent glass having a R2O—Al2O3—B2O3—SiO2 base composition, where R2O represents alkali metal oxides, and a precipitated silver halide phase with a volume fraction of at least 0.001. The birefringent glass composition of the invention can be used to produce monolithic zero-order wave plates having a thickness less than 2 mm. These wave plates can be used to introduce a phase shift between polarized components of light transmitted through the glass.

Abstract: A magnetic photonic crystal for providing asymmetry of spatial frequencies in the propagation of light is provided. The crystal is formed from at least two materials having different indices of refraction which are aligned along the longitudinal axis of the crystal. And arranged in an array whose symmetry does not include a spatial inversion operator such that (x,y)==/=(?x,?y). One or more of the materials forming the array is magnetic such that the magnetic group representation of the array does not include time inversion as a symmetric operator. In operation, when the magnetic material forming the material is magnetized, the group velocity property of light propagated in one direction along the axis of the array is different from the group velocity property of light transmitted in an opposite direction through the array. The magnetic photonic crystal may be used, for example, as an optical memory device or a high speed modulator/demodulator.

Abstract: Optical waveguides are fabricated in glass-ceramic materials utilizing an ion-exchange process to pattern the waveguide at a temperature below the ceramming temperature of the glass-ceramic material. The optical waveguides may include optically-active dopants dispersed preferably within the crystallite phase of the glass-ceramic material.

Abstract: Lithographic methods are disclosed. In one such method, a pulsed ultraviolet radiation source for producing ultraviolet lithography radiation having a wavelength shorter than about 300 nm at a fluence of less than 10 mJ/cm2/pulse and a high purity fused silica lithography glass having a concentration of molecular hydrogen of between about 0.02×1018 molecules/cm3 and about 0.18×1018 molecules/cm3 are provided. A lithography pattern is formed with the ultraviolet lithography radiation; the lithography pattern is reduced to produce a reduced lithography pattern; and the reduced lithography pattern is projected onto a ultraviolet radiation sensitive lithography medium to form a printed lithography pattern. At least one of the forming, reducing, and projecting steps includes transmitting the ultraviolet lithography radiation through the high purity fused silica lithography glass. Lithography systems and high purity fused silica lithography glass are also described.

Abstract: A birefringent glass composed of a phase-separated glass is provided. The phase-separated glass includes a borosilicate glass in which fluorine and a constituent that tends to crystallize into a high refractive index phase as a consequence of phase separation are included. In one embodiment, the constituent comprises TiO2.

Abstract: The present invention provides an alkali alumino-silicate Na—F-containing glass material and a method of making the alkali alumino-silicate Na—F-containing glass material, with the glass material capable of being made photosensitive and thus formed into optical elements at wavelengths ranging between about 240 to 350 nm, and more particularly at the standard 248 nm wavelength of excimer lasers. Also disclosed is optical element wherein a refractive index pattern formed in the alumino-silicate Na—F containing glass material, the refractive index pattern including regions of high refractive index and regions of low refractive index, the difference between the refractive indices of the high refractive index regions and the low refractive index regions being at least 4×10?5 at a wavelength of 633 nm.

Abstract: An ultra-thin polarizing glass article having two polarizing glass layers separated by a non-polarizing central region. The polarizing glass layers contain stretched or elongated metal particles and the non-polarizing central region contains elongated or stretched metal halide particle. The polarizing article has a thickness less than 200 micrometers.