Abstract: A planar optical device is formed on a substrate. The device comprises an array of waveguide cores which guide optical radiation. A cladding layer is formed contiguously with the array of waveguide cores to confine the optical radiation to the array of waveguide cores. At least one of the array of waveguide cores and cladding layer is an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon atoms being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moieties. This material can be designed with an index of refraction between 1.4 and 1.55 and can be deposited rapidly to thicknesses of up to 40 microns. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a planar optical device obviates the need for a lithographic process.

Abstract: A planar optical device is formed on a substrate (12) and comprising an array of waveguide cores (14) and a cladding layer (16) formed contiguously with the cores. At least one of the array of waveguide cores (14) and the cladding layer (16) is an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon atoms. In accordance with other embodiments of the invention, a method of forming an array of cores comprises the steps of preparing a core composition precursor material; partially hydrolyzing and polymerizing the material; forming an array of waveguide cores under conditions effective to form an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon atoms.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of phosphate glass comprising forming an aqueous slurry by mixing phosphoric acid, a zinc compound and other batch materials in the required proportions, heating the batch slurry to produce a molten phosphate glass that exhibits a P.sub.2 O.sub.5 /ZnO weight ratio range between about 1.2 to 2.0, and cooling the molten phosphate glass to room temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus useful for making color filters for liquid crystal display panels. A multicolored ink pattern is deposited to a substrate while in a deformable state, flattened during the deposition process, and the deformed, more uniform shape of the printed dot is thereafter retained, preferably by curing during deposition. The transfer layer is preferably formed on a collector roll. A plurality of colored ink patterns is then transferred to the collector roll, preferably from a single pattern roll having multiple patterns thereon, to form the multicolor image that will become the color filter. This multicolored image is then transferred to the substrate.

Abstract: This invention is directed to the production of essentially defect-free high purity fused silica glass articles, the method comprising the following steps: (a) forming a green body from silica particulates or a porous body of amorphous silica; (b) sintering said body in a chamber by raising the temperature of the chamber to above 1720.degree. C., while purging the chamber with helium or applying a vacuum to the chamber; and (c) consolidating the sintered body in a chamber by raising the temperature within the chamber to at least 1750.degree. C., introducing an inert gas into the chamber at a pressure less than about 6.9 MPa (1000 psig), and cooling the chamber while maintaining the pressurized atmosphere to a temperature at least below the annealing point of the glass. In the most preferred practice, a green body of silica particulates will be prepared via a sol-gel process.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus useful for making color filters for liquid crystal display panels. A multicolored ink pattern is deposited to a substrate while in a deformable state, flattened during the deposition process, and the deformed, more uniform shape of the printed dot is thereafter retained, preferably by curing during deposition. The transfer layer is preferably formed on a collector roll. A plurality of colored ink patterns is then transferred to the collector roll, preferably from a single pattern roll having multiple patterns thereon, to form the multicolor image that will become the color filter. This multicolored image is then transferred to the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing a multi-color ink pattern on a substrate surface which comprises arranging a series of patterned surfaces with each patterned surface having a pattern that is unique to one of the colors and that corresponds to the pattern of that color in the multi-color pattern, supplying to each patterned surface a radiation-curable ink formulation, having an appropriate colorant to form an ink pattern thereon, transferring individually the color pattern from each patterned surface to a collector roll, increasing the cohesiveness of the ink sufficiently to permit complete transfer of the pattern, forming a composite of the color patterns on a collector roll, and transferring the composite pattern in its entirety to the substrate surface.

Abstract: The instant invention describes a method for preparing a stable, anhydrous non-hygroscopic zinc phosphate compound which is suitable for use as a batch material in the preparation of zinc-phosphate glasses. This method comprises three basic steps: first, forming an aqueous slurry mixture by intimately mixing a mixture containing phosphoric acid and a zinc-containing compound whereby the so-formed slurry mixture is comprised of a mixture of zinc hydrogen phosphates and exhibits a P.sub.2 O.sub.5 /ZnO weight ratio range between about 1.2 to 2.0; second, heating the so-formed slurry mixture to a temperature and for a time sufficient to achieve both a removal of a sufficient amount of water and the phase transformation of the zinc hydrogen phosphates resulting in zinc-phosphate material comprised of granular solid mixture of zinc metaphosphates and zinc pyrophosphate and third, cooling the zinc-phosphate material to room temperature.

Abstract: A method of protecting a glass surface from damage, particularly where a stack of glass sheets is thermally processed at elevated temperatures. The method involves applying a coating of an inert, refractory material in the form of submicron particles to at least one of two opposed glass surfaces.

Abstract: Silica glass articles of complex shape are provided by a gel machining process wherein a silicate solution is first cast into a mold of simple shape and gelled to a fully crosslinked wet gel body, and the wet gel body is thereafter removed from the mold and machined by grinding, drilling, core drilling, water jet cutting or the like to provide a wet gelled shape of the complex configuration desired. The complex wet gel shape is then dried and consolidated, with no change in configuration (except for shrinkage), to provide a unitary crack-free glass article retaining the shape of the machined gel.

Abstract: Ultra-low thermal expansion TiO.sub.2 --SiO.sub.2 glasses are prepared using a sol-gel process wherein a stable alkali silicate solution comprising colloidal TiO.sub.2 and having a pH above 9 is gelled to form a semisolid silicate gel, the gel comprising homogeneously dispersed colloidal TiO.sub.2 but being essentially free of agglomerated TiO.sub.2 particles, washing the gel with aqueous media to remove alkali therefrom, and finally drying and consolidating the gel to a clear, void-free TiO.sub.2 --SiO.sub.2 glass which is substantially free of compositional inhomogeneities and has a thermal expansion coefficient below that of pure fused silica.

Abstract: The instant invention is directed to the production of boards and other relatively thick-walled shapes of various configurations from inorganic silicates. The method for preparing such products involves five general steps: first a fully or predominantly crystalline body is formed containing crystals consisting essentially of a lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica selected from the group of fluorhectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, and solid solutions therebetween; second, that body is contacted with a polar liquid, customarily water, to cause swelling and disintegration of the body accompanied with the formation of a gel; third, the gel is contacted with a source of large cations to effect an ion exchange reaction between the large cations and the Li.sup.+ and/or Na.sup.

Abstract: Cellular ceramic bodies are produced by frothing a crystal-containing, ion-exchanged gel and setting the gel. An aqueous gel is prepared from a water-swelling mica and is blended in conjunction with a large cation donor, e.g., a potassium salt or silicate glass, and a surfactant to effect frothing of the gel by a shearing action and exchange of large cations with lithium and/or sodium ions from the mica to produce an ion-exchanged gel that sets in controllable manner.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing low density, ceramic bodies in the nature of hollow or solid beads which may be used as such or bonded into a unitary mass. The bodies are composed of ion-exchanged, synthetic mica crystals wherein large cations, such as K.sup.+, have been exchanged for lithium and/or sodium ions from the mica. The method involves forming a gel by dissolution of a synthetic mica in a polar liquid, releasing droplets of the gel into a fluid to form shaped bodies, effecting the indicated ion exchange, and drying the beads thus formed.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with the production of porous, essentially alkali metal-free amorphous bodies demonstrating excellent thermal insulating properties and being capable of long term use at temperatures up to 1000.degree. C. The bodies exhibit an average pore diameter of between about 100A-10,000A with at least 80% of the pores coming within .+-.20% of the average pore diameter value. The bodies consist essentially, as expressed in weight percent on the oxide basis, of 0.25-5% of an infrared radiation absorbing metal oxide, 1-10% of an infrared radiation scattering metal oxide, and the remainder SiO.sub.2.

Abstract: This invention relates to the preparation of silica-containing particulate materials and monolithic structures exhibiting high porosity with exceptionally uniform pore size. The bodies are produced through gelation of aqueous alkali metal silicate and/or colloidal silica solutions, optionally contaiing dispersed particulate phases, with organic reagents followed by a leaching step. Uniformity of pore size is achieved through careful control of such variables as the ratio of alkali metal silicate to colloidal silica solutions, the concentration of silica, the amount of dispersed phase employed, and the like.

Abstract: The instant invention is directed to the production of high purity fused silica bodies by means of a three-step process. In the first step, various specifically-defined ratios of aqueous alkali metal silicates with colloidal silica or quaternary ammonium silicate are gelled with certain organic reagents. In the second step, the gelled silicate mass is leached in weakly acid solutions to yield bodies of very high porosity, i.e., greater than 50%, with mean pore diameters ranging between about 400A-4000A, but wherein the pore diameters are extraordinarily uniform within a particular body. Lastly, the microporous body is fired briefly at temperatures above about 1350.degree. C. to consolidate the body to a solid transparent fused silica article having alkali metal contents less than 100 parts per million (PPM). The size of the pores, combined with the exceptional uniformity of pore sizes within an individual unit, is vital to achieve crack-free, homogeneous products.