Abstract: A transparent article made of glass ceramic with high surface quality as well as a method producing are provided. The article is suitable for use as a viewing pane. The method includes the steps of: producing a melt with a raw material composition that is suitable for a ceramization; hot shaping a flat substrate made of ceramizable green glass having two oppositely arranged, essentially flat surfaces from the melt; processing of at least one of the surfaces of the substrate with a smoothing fine-treatment process; ceramizing the substrate to produce the article made of glass ceramic.

Abstract: An oven muffle that has at least two wall elements adjoining each other, which delimit at least some regions of an interior space that is used as a cooking chamber. The wall elements are of a glass or a glass ceramic and the adjacent wall elements are oriented at an angle with respect to one another. In an oven muffle of this invention, along with ease of cleaning, a simple structural design is achieved if the wall elements are integrally joined to one another and constitute one formed part.

Abstract: An oven muffle that has at least two wall elements adjoining each other, which delimit at least some regions of an interior space that is used as a cooking chamber. The wall elements are of a glass or a glass ceramic and the adjacent wall elements are oriented at an angle with respect to one another. In an oven muffle of this invention, along with ease of cleaning, a simple structural design is achieved if the wall elements are integrally joined to one another and constitute one formed part.

Abstract: A work plate arrangement (1) including a work plate (2) and a hot plate (3), the hot plate (3) being inserted in a recess (4) of the work plate (2). In order to provide a work plate arrangement (1) which also enables a wok to be used for cooking purposes in a simple manner, the hot plate (3) is provided with a shell (5) which is made of a glass ceramic material and which protrudes into the recess (4) of the work plate (2), the shell being used to receive a wok and having a heating device arranged thereunder (5).

Abstract: An arrangement of a one-piece molded part made of glass ceramic, glass or ceramic is used as the cooking surface of a cooking unit in a cutout of a sill plate. The molded part has an elevated, encircling outer peripheral region that is different from the level of the inner main level of the one-piece molded part, in which at least one cooking zone is located. The one-piece molded part is inserted substantially flush into the cutout of the sill plate or is laid by means of its encircling peripheral area on the edge of the cutout of the sill plate.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for determining the refractive index (n) of a substance wherein monochromatic light is conducted to a single-mode wave guide integrated into a substrate. The wave guide is brought into contact with the substance to be measured along a segment of predetermined length. In this way, the effective refractive index in this segment of the wave guide is changed. This effect is utilized for measuring the refractive index of the measured substance. The change of the effective refractive index causes a phase displacement of the light travelling through this measuring segment. This phase displacement is measured as a phase difference to a light component not influenced by the measuring substance. This measurement is preferably made interferometrically.