Abstract: Disclosed are masks and mask blanks for photolithographic processes, photosensitive materials and fabrication method therefor. Photosensitive materials are used in the masks for recording permanent pattern features via UV exposure. The masks are advantageously phase-shifting, but can be gray-scale masks having index patterns with arbitrary distribution of refractive index and pattern dimension. The masks may have features above the surface formed from opaque or attenuating materials. Alumino-boro-germano-silicate glasses having a composition comprising, in terms of mole percentage, 1-6% of Al2O3, 10-36% of B2O3, 2-20% of GeO2, 40-80% of SiO2, 2-10% of R2O, where R is selected from Li, Na and K, and expressed in terms of weight percentage of the glass, 0-5% of F, can be used for the mask substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed are masks and mask blanks for photolithographic processes, photosensitive films and fabrication method therefor. Photosensitive films are deposited on a substrate in the masks for recording permanent pattern features via UV exposure. The masks are advantageously phase-shifting, but can be gray-scale masks having index patterns with arbitrary distribution of refractive index and pattern depth. The masks may have features above the surface formed from opaque or attenuating materials. Boro-germano-silicate photosensitive films having a composition consisting essentially, in terms of mole percentage, of: 0-20% of B2O3, 5-25% of GeO2 and the remainder SiO2 can be used for the film. The film is advantageously deposited by using PECVD wherein tetramethoxygermane is used as the germanium source.

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: Disclosed is a photonic band-gap crystal waveguide having the physical dimension of the photonic crystal lattice and the size of the defect selected to provide for optimum mode power confinement to the defect. The defect has a boundary which has a characteristic numerical value associated with it. The ratio of this numerical value to the pitch of the photonic crystal is selected to avoid surface modes found to exist in certain configurations of the photonic band-gap crystal waveguide. Embodiments in accord with the invention having circular and hexagonal defect cross sections are disclosed and described. A method of making the photonic band-gap crystal waveguide is also disclosed and described.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated optical isolator includes depositing a wire grid material on a magneto-optical substrate and depositing a resist film on the wire grid material. The method further includes bringing a mold with a wire grid pattern on contact with the resist film and compressing the mold and resist film together so as to emboss the wire grid pattern in the resist film. The method further includes transferring the wire grid pattern in the resist film to the wire grid material on the magneto-optical substrate by etching.

Abstract: The invention provides a UV below 200 nm lithography method utilizing mixed calcium strontium fluoride crystals. The invention includes providing a below 200 nm radiation source for producing <200-nm light, providing a plurality of mixed calcium strontium cubic fluoride crystal optical elements, with the fluoride crystals comprised of a combination of calcium strontium cations having different optical polarizabilities such as to produce an overall isotropic polarizability which minimizes the fluoride crystal spatial dispersion below 200 nm, transmitting <200-nm light through the cubic fluoride crystal optical elements, forming a lithography pattern with the light, reducing the lithography pattern and projecting the lithography pattern with the fluoride crystal optical elements onto a UV radiation sensitive lithography printing medium to form a printed lithographic pattern. The invention includes making the mixed fluoride crystals, optical element blanks thereof and optical lithography elements.

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: The present invention provides an optical element including a silver halide-containing glass material having a concentration of less than 0.001 wt % cerium; and a refractive index pattern formed in the silver halide-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. The present invention also provides methods for making optical elements from siliver halide-containing glass materials.

Abstract: A method of writing a light guiding structure in a bulk glass substrate including selecting a bulk glass substrate made from a soft silica-based material; and focusing an excimer laser beam at a focus within said substrate while translating the focus 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 relative to that of the unexposed material while incurring substantially no laser induced breakdown of the material along the scan path. Various optical devices, including waveguides can be made in this way.

Abstract: A microstructured optical waveguide that supports the propagation of an optical signal of a desired wavelength is described. The optical waveguide includes a core region formed from an optically nonlinear material having a &ggr; of at least about 2.5×10−19 m2/W at 1260 nm. The optical waveguide also includes a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region including a bulk material and a lattice of columns located in the bulk material, the lattice of columns having a pitch, and each column having a cross-sectional area. The pitch of the lattice and the areas of the columns are selected such that the dispersion of the optical signal at the desired wavelength is within the range of about −70 ps/nm-km to about 70 ps/nm-km.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photonic band-gap crystal waveguide having the physical dimension of the photonic crystal lattice and the size of the defect selected to provide for optimum mode power confinement to the defect. The defect has a boundary which has a characteristic numerical value associated with it. The ratio of this numerical value to the pitch of the photonic crystal is selected to avoid surface modes found to exist in certain configurations of the photonic band-gap crystal waveguide. Embodiments in accord with the invention having circular and hexagonal defect cross sections are disclosed and described. A method of making the photonic band-gap crystal waveguide is also disclosed and described.

Abstract: Polarizing glass articles and methods of manufacturing polarizing glass articles are disclosed. Optical isolators using the polarizing glass articles have reduced coupling and surface losses when compared with conventional optical isolators.

Abstract: Materials, both glass and glass-ceramic, that exhibit UV-induced changes in light transmission and electrical conductivity behavior. The materials consist essentially, in mole %, of 20-40% SiO2, 10-20% AlO1.5, 35-55% SiO2+AlO1.5, at least 30% CdF2, 0-20% PbF2, and/or ZnF2, 0-15% rare earth metal fluoride, and 45-65% total metal fluorides.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of making a <194 nm wavelength calcium fluoride crystal optical lithography element for transmitting wavelengths less than about 194 nm along an optical axis with minimal birefringence by providing an optical element optical calcium fluoride crystal with an input face {100} crystal plane and forming the input face {100} crystal plane into an optical lithography element surface of an optical lithography element having an optical axis, with the optical axis aligned with a <100> crystal direction of the optical calcium fluoride crystal. In a preferred embodiment, the below 194 nm transmitting optical element is a <100>oriented calcium fluoride lens. In a preferred embodiment, the below 194 nm transmitting optical element is a <100> oriented calcium fluoride beam splitter.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for depositing a high density biological or chemical array onto a solid support. Specifically, the apparatus is made up of a plurality of open ended channels collectively forming a matrix. The matrix has been redrawn and cut such that the pitch of the channels on the loading end is larger than the pitch of the channels on the liquid delivery end. The upper portion of each channel serves as a reservoir, while the opposing end, which has been formed by the redrawing process, is diametrically sized such that liquid in the reservoir is retained by capillary pressure at the delivery end. At any point along the height of the capillary reservoir device, all cross-sectional dimensions and areas are uniformly reduced. In other words, the on-center orientation of any two channels, also referred to as the pitch between 2 channels, measured as a function of the diameter of any cross section, is constant throughout the structure.

Abstract: A lens array and a method for fabricating the lens array are described herein. The lens array is made from a photosensitive glass plate containing a relatively small amount of a photosensitive agent (e.g., silver, gold or combination thereof) such that when the photosensitive glass plate is subjected to an exposure step, a heat treatment step and an optional ion exchange step it becomes a glass composite plate that includes glass regions which are lenses and also includes an opaque opal region located around each of the lenses. The lens array has clear, colorless lenses exhibiting greater sag heights than those yellow lenses found in a traditional lens array made from the traditional photosensitive glass plate which was subjected to similar exposure, heat treatment and ion exchange steps.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of making optical fiber devices.

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: Disclosed is a photonic band-gap crystal waveguide having the physical dimension of the photonic crystal lattice and the size of the defect selected to provide for optimum mode power confinement to the defect. The defect has a boundary which has a characteristic numerical value associated with it. The ratio of this numerical value to the pitch of the photonic crystal is selected to avoid surface modes found to exist in certain configurations of the photonic band-gap crystal waveguide. Embodiments in accord with the invention having circular and hexagonal defect cross sections are disclosed and described. A method of making the photonic band-gap crystal waveguide is also disclosed and described.

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. One embodiment of the invention relates to an optical element including a transparent photosensitive bulk glass having formed therein a non-waveguiding Bragg grating; and a optical element optical surface for manipulating light. Desirably, the photosensitive bulk glass has a 250 nm absorption less than 10 dB/cm.