Abstract: A method of manufacturing a filter includes the steps of positioning a collimator assembly including a GRIN lens mounted thereto in a movable fixture, placing a UV or thermally curable adhesive on the periphery of the GRIN lens, moving the GRIN lens into engagement with a filter holder having a filter mounted therein, micro-tilting the filter holder while monitoring the input and output signals of the fibers coupled to the GRIN lens for insertion loss less than about 0.1 dB, and applying UV radiation through the filter end of the filter holder to initially cure the aligned subassembly. In a preferred embodiment, the resultant subassembly is subsequently stress relieved and thoroughly cured. In another embodiment, UV radiation is applied to the filter holder GRIN lens interface through one or more apertures formed in the side of the filter holder.

Abstract: A dielectric substrate is coated with a protective layer and a catalyst film is formed in a laser irradiated predetermined pattern on the protective layer so that during electroless deposition a metal is plated on the catalyst film in the predetermined pattern whether or not the dielectric has unwanted catalytic sites. The protective layer is not removed by the electroless plating bath or prior etch steps but can subsequently be stripped by a separate etch without removing the plated metal or the dielectric from the substrate.

Abstract: Improved method and solutions for copper direct writing, particularly laser-induced direct writing, involving copper formate precursor solutions that contain a crystallization-inhibiting agent. The agent is selected from glycerol, citric acid, malic acid, malonic acid and glycine.