Abstract: A method of making glass through a glass ribbon forming process in which a glass ribbon is drawn from a root point to an exit point is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (I) cooling the glass ribbon at a first cooling rate from an initial temperature to a process start temperature, the initial temperature corresponding to a temperature at the root point; (II) cooling the glass ribbon at a second cooling rate from the process start temperature to a process end temperature; and (III) cooling the glass ribbon at a third cooling rate from the process end temperature to an exit temperature, the exit temperature corresponding to a temperature at the exit point, wherein an average of the second cooling rate is lower than an average of the first cooling rate and an average of the third cooling rate.

Abstract: A method of determining parameters of plurality of thermal cycles to achieve a set glass strain level includes providing a plurality of input parameters for a glass substrate and a plurality of parameters for a plurality of thermal cycles. The method also includes iteratively modifying at least one of the pluralities of thermal cycle parameters so the glass strain is not greater than the set glass strain level after a final thermal cycle is completed. An aspect of the method usefully enables a user to determine from the material parameters and processing sequences of the glass manufacturer and further entities that may further process the glass (e.g., the glass manufacturer's customers) whether a particular glass strain can be achieved; and if not the example embodiments allows the manufacturer to calculate changes in the customers' processes to meet the desired glass strain.

Abstract: An isotopically-altered, silica based optical fiber is provided having lower losses, broader bandwidth, and broader Raman gain spectrum characteristics than conventional silica-based fiber. A heavier, less naturally abundant isotope of silicon or oxygen is substituted for a lighter, more naturally abundant isotope to shift the infrared absorption to a slightly longer wavelength. In one embodiment, oxygen-18 is substituted for the much more naturally abundant oxygen-16 at least in the core region of the fiber. The resulting isotopically-altered fiber has a minimum loss of 0.044 dB/km less than conventional fiber, and a bandwidth that is 17 percent broader for a loss range between 0.044-0.034 dB/km. The fiber may be easily manufactured with conventional fiber manufacturing equipment by way of a plasma chemical vapor deposition technique. When a 50 percent substitution of oxygen -18 for oxygen-16 is made in the core region of the fiber, the Raman gain spectrum is substantially broadened.

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: An isotopically-altered, silica based optical fiber is provided having lower losses, broader bandwidth, and broader Raman gain spectrum characteristics than conventional silica-based fiber. A heavier, less naturally abundant isotope of silicon or oxygen is substituted for a lighter, more naturally abundant isotope to shift the infrared absorption to a slightly longer wavelength. In one embodiment, oxygen-18 is substituted for the much more naturally abundant oxygen-16 at least in the core region of the fiber. The resulting isotopically-altered fiber has a minimum loss of 0.044 dB/km less than conventional fiber, and a bandwidth that is 17 percent broader for a loss range between 0.044-0.034 dB/km. The fiber may be easily manufactured with conventional fiber manufacturing equipment by way of a plasma chemical vapor deposition technique. When a 50 percent substitution of oxygen-18 for oxygen-16 is made in the core region of the fiber, the Raman gain spectrum is substantially broadened.

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: 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: Stress-induced photoelastic birefringence compensates for intrinsic birefringence of cubic crystalline structures in deep ultraviolet (less than 200 nm) microlithographic imaging systems. Both the photoelastic birefringence and the intrinsic birefringence are expressed in a tensor format simplified by the symmetries of cubic crystalline structures. The stress-induced photoelastic birefringence can be sized to individually compensate for intrinsic birefringence exhibited in the same optical elements or preferably to collectively compensate for the cumulative effects of intrinsic birefringence in other optical elements in the lithography system.

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 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: 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: An active photonic crystal device for controlling an optical signal is disclosed. The device includes a planar photonic crystal with a defect waveguide bounded on the top and bottom by an upper cladding region and a lower cladding region. An optical signal propagating in the defect waveguide is confined in the plane of the photonic crystal by the photonic bandgap, and in the direction normal to the photonic crystal by the upper clad region and the lower clad region. The propagation of the optical signal in the defect waveguide is controlled by varying the optical properties at least one of the upper clad region or the lower clad region. The variation of the optical properties of the controllable regions may be achieved using a thermo-optic effect, an electro-optic effect, a stress-optic effect, or a mechano-optic effect, or by moving a material into or out of the controllable region.

Abstract: The present invention includes a composite optical waveguide fiber. The composite optical waveguide fiber includes a first optical waveguide fiber. The first optical waveguide fiber has a first diameter and a first outermost layer having a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The composite optical waveguide fiber further includes a second optical waveguide fiber coupled to the first optical waveguide fiber. The second optical waveguide fiber has a second diameter and a second outermost layer, the second outermost layer having a second coefficient of thermal expansion. Wherein the first coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the second coefficient of thermal expansion. Wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

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: The invention provides a UV below 200 nm lithography method. The invention includes providing a below 200 nm radiation source for producing <200-nm light, providing a plurality of mixed cubic fluoride crystal optical elements, with the fluoride crystals comprised of a combination of alkaline earth 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 cubic 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 and forming optical element therefrom.

Abstract: An isotopically-altered, silica based optical fiber is provided having lower losses, broader bandwidth, and broader Raman gain spectrum characteristics than conventional silica-based fiber. A heavier, less naturally abundant isotope of silicon or oxygen is substituted for a lighter, more naturally abundant isotope to shift the infrared absorption to a slightly longer wavelength. In one embodiment, oxygen-18 is substituted for the much more naturally abundant oxygen-16 at least in the core region of the fiber. The resulting isotopically-altered fiber has a minimum loss of 0.044 dB/km less than conventional fiber, and a bandwidth that is 17 percent broader for a loss range between 0.044-0.034 dB/km. The fiber may be easily manufactured with conventional fiber manufacturing equipment by way of a plasma chemical vapor deposition technique. When a 50 percent substitution of oxygen-18 for oxygen-16 is made in the core region of the fiber, the Raman gain spectrum is substantially broadened.

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 a UV below 200 mm lithography method. The invention includes providing a below 200 mm radiation source for producing <200-nm light, providing a plurality of mixed cubic flouride crystal optical elements, with the fluoride crystals comprised of a combination of alkaline earth 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 litographic patter and projecting the lithography pattern with the cubic 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 and forming optical element thereform.

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.