Abstract: The instant invention is directed to the production of highly polarizing glasses, i.e., the glasses exhibit dichroic ratios up to 40 and higher, from silver-containing glasses that are characterized as being phase separable or, more preferably, as being photochromic because of the presence of silver halide particles therein, i.e., particles selected from the group of AgCl, AgBr, and AgI. The inventive method contemplates two general steps:(a) the glasses are elongated under stress such that the glass phases and/or silver halide particles are elongated and aligned in the direction of the stress; and(b) the elongated glasses are heat treated in a reducing environment at temperatures below the annealing point of the glass but above about 300.degree. C. to reduce a portion of the silver ions in the glass to metallic silver which is deposited in at least one of the glass phases and/or along the phase boundaries of the glass phases and/or deposited upon the silver halide particles.

Abstract: An ultraviolet-sensitive optical information recording material comprising doped silver chloride and tin oxide which exhibits high ultraviolet darkening sensitivity and good resistance to darkening or bleaching by visible light, and a method for optically recording information in permanent, optically-readable form in such a material by direct writing without chemical development, are described.

Abstract: Electron beam-sensitive films containing silver chloride, cadmium chloride and tin oxide, and the use of such films to provide optical masks by selective film darkening with an electron beam, are described.

Abstract: Selectively tinted photochromic glass lenses, such as photochromic lenses with a fixed tint gradient in transmittance ranging from a dark tint at the top of the lens to pale or no tinting at the bottom of the lens, are provided by a process comprising surface coloration and subsequent selective colored surface layer removal, without introducing optical aberrations into the lenses.

Abstract: A photosensitive medium for storing optical information relating to the intensity and polarization of incident light, consisting of an inorganic multilayer film comprising multiple thin layers of silver chloride to which additive coloration has been imparted by chemical means, is described.

Abstract: Surface-colored photochromic glass articles produced by reduction heat treatments at 450.degree. C. and below which exhibit induced absorption peaks at longer wavelengths than prior art glasses, and surface colors such as orange, red, purple and blue, are described.

Abstract: Optically bleachable multilayer films containing additively colored silver chloride which exhibit high infrared transmittance and good bleaching sensitivity, and optical information storage media incorporating such films, are described.

Abstract: A fluorine containing silicate glass substrate is heated to a temperature sufficiently high to permit fluorine to out-diffuse from the surface thereof. A surface region is formed having a gradient fluorine concentration in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, the region of lowest fluorine concentration having the highest refractive index. The resultant device is capable of functioning as an optical waveguide.

Abstract: The absorptive and refractive properties of additively colored glasses containing an absorptive metallic silver phase and a separated silver halide phase are altered by irradiating the colored glasses with visible light. Polarization effects and multicolored images can be produced.

Abstract: Silver halide-containing photochromic glasses are rendered optically anisotropic by darkening with actinic radiation and irradiating with linearly polarized bleaching light. A photochromic glass so treated will be optically isotropic when it returns to the clear state, but may again become optically anisotropic when redarkened. Color adaptation results when darkened silver halide-containing photochromic glasses are irradiated with colored optical bleaching light.

Abstract: A fluorine containing silicate glass substrate is heated to a temperature sufficiently high to permit fluorine to out-diffuse from the surface thereof. A surface region is formed having a gradient fluorine concentration in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, the region of lowest fluorine concentration having the highest refractive index. The resultant device is capable of functioning as an optical waveguide.