Abstract: The present invention discloses a bonding collar for coupling optical components and methods for manufacturing the bonding collar and mounting the optical components to the bonding collar. The bonding collar is composed of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient comparable to that of the coupled optical components and is formed by a first socket into one end of a cylindrical blank and a square second socket in communication with the first socket so that when a GRIN lens is inserted in the first socket and a filter is placed in the second socket, the GRIN lens and filter will directly contact each other. Further, the manufacturing process ensures alignment between the two sockets. The filter and GRIN lens are bonded to the bonding collar by applying adhesive to the visible interfaces that the bonding collar forms with the GRIN lens and the filter.

Abstract: An optical fluorescent composite which controls fluorescence intensity comprises a solid layer containing fluorescent material (such as a phosphor) formed on an optically transparent base or substrate and optically coupled to a spectrally selective filter, also formed on the base or substrate, that modifies the intensity of either or both the excitation or emission spectra of the phosphor. Devices constructed in this manner serve as stable references for fluorescent measurements. Sets of such device is made with filters having different transmittance amplitudes, can characterize fluorescent measurement response over several orders of magnitude. In one of numerous alternative structure, the fluorescent layer can be formed on one substrate, the filter formed on a second substrate and the two substrates joined together.