Abstract: A method of making an optical device is described, in which an optical fibre having a free end is provided. The free end of the optical fibre is contacted with a curable material and the material on curing is capable of forming around the free end, a member having light-scattering properties. The material is cured in a manner to produce the member with an isotropic surface. Typically, the curable material contacted by the free end is in the form of a droplet suspended in a liquid and the material is preferably cured by passing laser radiation along the optical fibre towards its free end.

Abstract: A coating is obtained on a substrate by applying to the substrate a composition containing as a binder an unsaturated polyester and hardening the coating by infra-red radiation, wherein the binder is a monomer-free olefinically unsaturated polyester resin having a viscosity of 2,000 to 5,000 mPa.s at 23.degree. C. and consists essentially of the esterification reaction product of:A) 1.0 mol of an unsatured dicarboxylic acid component selected from the group consisting of maleic acid, maleic anhydride, fumaric acid and mixtures thereof,B) 0.5 to 1.2 mol of a diol component which is a dihydric alcohol with 2 to 8 carbon atoms,C) 0.5 to 1.1 mol of at least one unsaturated ether component which is a monofunctional hydroxy compound containing one or more .beta.,.gamma.-ethylenically unsaturated alkenyl ether moieties in the molecule, andD) 0 to 0.55 mol of an alcohol component which is a saturated monohydric alcohol with 4 to 10 carbon atoms.and the coating composition is useful as an automotive body repair putty.

Abstract: Carbonyl-containing polymer films, such as PET, are selectively metallized y contacting the films with a layer or film of metal, such as aluminum, and then irradiating selected portions of the surface of the film with infrared radiation thereby heating those selected portions of the film. The metal on or opposite the irradiated portions of the surface adhere to the film. The remaining metal may be readily removed. The process provides surprisingly good spatial resolution. The present process is particularly useful in the production of microcontacts for circuit boards.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery that rapid thermal processing (RTP) can convert hydrogen silsesquioxane resin coatings to ceramic silica coatings. This technique is especially valuable for the application of protective and dielectric layers on electronic devices.

Abstract: A method for forming a ceramic coating on a substrate comprises immersing the substrate such as stainless steel in an aqueous solution containing a silicic acid compound such as sodium silicate and/or a metal salt of oxygen acid such as an aluminate, and irradiating the substrate with a laser beam. By this method, a dense and fine ceramic coating can be uniformly formed on the substrate without using an apparatus of large scale required in the gas phase method and without heating the system to a high temperature.

Abstract: This invention is directed to treating the surfaces of rubber-reinforcing materials with a gas plasma of O.sub.2 and CF.sub.4 to activate the surfaces to make them more receptive to adhesives. Optionally the surfaces of the reinforcing materials may be exposed to a polymerizing gas plasma such as a thio-carbon to coat the surfaces of the reinforcing material with substances that promote adhesion to rubber. The treated surfaces have been shown to adhere directly to rubber when vulcanized in the normal fashion.

Abstract: A rotating cylindrical target surface is provided for the laser ablation process of depositing thin films on a substrate. The target is mounted in a vacuum chamber so that it may be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical surface target and simultaneously translated along the longitudinal axis. A laser beam is focused by a cylindrical lens onto the target surface along a line that is at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis to spread the plume of ablated material over a greater radial arc. The plume may be spread in the longitudinal direction by providing a concave or convex lateral target surface. The angle of incidence of the focused laser beam may be other than normal to the target surface to provide a more glancing geometry. Simultaneous roation about and translation along the longitudinal axis produce a smooth and even ablation of the entire cylindrical target surface and a steady evaporation plume.

Abstract: A process for producing coated glass yarns which comprises drawing a plurality of fibers formed from strands of molten glass, applying to the strands a sizing coating comprising at least a monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oligomer and a photostarter composition such as a photoinitiator compound, a photosensitizer compound or a mixture thereof and optionally an organic solvent and an additive composition comprising at least one of a wetting agent, an adhesion promoting agent, an antishrinking agent and a coupling agent, gathering the coated strands into a yarn and irradiating the coated yarn with a source of actinic radiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a liquid transfer article for use in transferring the liquid to another surface comprising the steps of:(a) coating an article with at least one layer of a coating material selected from the group consisting of ceramic and metallic carbides;(b) superimposing over the coated surface a removable mask material of discontinuous material opaque to a beam of radiation of a selected energy level;(c) directing a laser having a beam of radiation of said selected energy level onto the coated surface of the article so as to produce in the area of the coated surface not covered by the discontinuous material a pattern of wells adapted for receiving liquid and wherein said pattern of wells is defined by the area of the coated surface which is not covered by the discontinuous material; and(d) removing the mask material from the coated article.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a non-flammable plating resist with improved adhesion and edge covering characteristics which permits its selective removal by an ordinary laser ablation process or an energy efficient laser assisted process, and to the preferred method in using same to selectively plate a metal substrate, such as a nickel plated, electrically conductive metal with a precious metal. The preferred method comprises the steps of applying a thin uniform layer of such resist onto the substrate and drying the same in situ to a thickness greater than 100 microinches and less than 500 microinches, and drying same in situ, where such resist (a) is resistant to deterioration by chemical plating solutions of such precious metal, (b) is readily strippable in alkaline solutions, and (c) has a flashpoint in excess of 100.degree. F. A preferred formulation for such resist comprises, by weight, the following:______________________________________ Styrene acrylic co-polymer 61.5% suspension Butyl cellosolve 3.

Abstract: A connection electrodes producing method has a step of forming resin layer which can be softened after hardened, on a circuit substrate on which an electrode pattern is formed. Then, only the resin layer material on the electrode pattern is cured and left. Thereafter, conductive particles are adhered to only the resin layer on the electrode pattern by softening the resin layer and by scattering the conductive particles on the circuit substrate with the softened resin layer.

Abstract: A method of treating articles to improve their biocompatibility is disclosed. A polymeric substrate material is positioned within a reactor vessel and exposed to plasma gas discharge in the presence of an atmosphere of an inert gas and then in the presence of an organic gas, such as a fluorinated hydrocarbon gas, which forms a thin, biocompatible surface covalently bonded to the surface of the substrate. The method is particularly useful in the treatment of vascular graft materials to produce grafts that are both thrombi- and emboli-resistant.

Abstract: A system for monitoring and controlling the rate of growth of thin films in an atmosphere of reactant gases measures the UV absorbance of the atmosphere and calculates the partial pressure of the gases. The flow of reactant gases is controlled in response to the partial pressure.

Abstract: Thin film recording media are protected and lubricated by overcoating them with a carbon overcoat applying a lubricant to said overcoat and bonding the lubricant to the carbon overcoat by irradiating it by UV radiation.

Abstract: The adhesive properties of polyolefin products are improved by submitting said products to a surface modification process which includes the following steps:A) application to the polyolefin product surface of a layer of one or more photosensitive materials selected from:1) Chloroparaffins containing 5 to 80 wt % of chlorine and having an average molecular weight greater than 200;2) vinyl chloride homopolymers and copolymers containing 25 to 80 wt % of chlorine and having K values between 40 and 60; and3) vinylidene chloride homopolymers and copolymers; andB) exposure of the layer to ultraviolet radiation.The product treated in this manner is ready for painting or coating with various materials.

Abstract: A deposition process includes the steps of heating a substrate, and passing silane gas over the substrate such that the heated substrate causes decomposition of the silane gas thereby to cause deposition of polysilicon film on the substrate. The temperature of the substrate and the pressure of the silane gas are controlled so as to increase the grain size of the deposited films.

Abstract: Vapor deposition of a thin film is accomplished by employing a pulsed laser to irradiate at least a region of a homogeneous stoichiometric complex material pellet with sufficient energy density to accomplish congruent evaporation of constituents of the material. The energy density is further at least sufficient to cause at least a predetermined portion, a central forward lobe, of the evaporant to have approximately the same stoichiometry as the irradiated material. A substrate is positioned to allow deposit thereon of that lobe portion of the evaporant as a thin film.

Abstract: A process is described for modifying the surface of polymers such as polyolefins and the like to improve the wetability by barrier and other coatings and to enhance interlayer adhesion by graft polymerization through initiation by electron-beam radiation, optionally with an added electron energy acceptor.

Abstract: A method of making a plugged microporous film from a film which comprises a structural component having pores extending therethrough, and a plugging material within the pores, the method comprising:(a) selectively treating the plugging material so that its susceptibility to a crosslinking treatment differs from a first region of the film to a second region thereof;(b) crosslinking the plugging material at the second region of the film; and(c) removing the uncrosslinked plugging material from the first region of the film leaving plugs of crosslinked plugging material in the pores at the second region of the film.

Abstract: A process and product is presented for obtaining selective areas of distinctive appearance, i.e., matting on synthetic coverings. This process includes, depositing a polymer coating which contains at least one first initiator for polymerization onto at least a first selected area or zone on an expandable or nonexpandable support substrate. Next, at least one second coating comprised of a crosslinkable monomer containing at least one second polymerization initiator is deposited onto a second selected area on the substrate. This second area or zone may encompass at least a portion of the first area. The first and second initiators should be triggered by distinct "spectral zones", i.e., a range of temperature conditions, frequency conditions, etc. capable of decomposing the initiator to form free radicals or ions needed for chain propagation in a polymerization reaction.