Abstract: A method for forming a plurality of optical elements simultaneously includes placing a transfer material against an inner surface of a master die, which has a shape commensurate with a desired shape of a plurality of optical elements to form a molding die, which thereby has an inner surface substantially a negative of the master die's inner surface. A moldable sheet, such as glass, is pressed against the molding die to form a unitary molded sheet, and the molded sheet is cut apart to form a plurality of optical elements, including lenses or other optical elements as desired.

Abstract: A method of making a sol-gel monolith, comprising the steps of:(a) hydrolyzing and polycondensing one or more oxide precursors to form a sol comprising a plurality of oxide particles suspended in a liquid;(b) casting said sol into a mold;(c) gelling said sol by cross-linking said oxide particles to form a gel;(d) aging said gel to form an aged gel;(e) subjecting said aged gel to a drying treatment comprising the steps of:(i) heating said aged gel in a high humidity environment; and then(ii) heating said aged gel in a low humidity environmentto remove liquid from the pores of the aged gel to form a dried, aged gel; and(f) densifying said dried, aged gel to form a sol-gel monolith.

Abstract: A method of producing doped, monolithic objects of silica in a wide variety of shapes which comprises impregnating a stabilized silica sol-gel monolith with a doping solution having therein a wide range of inorganic or organic dopants to achieve unique physical properties, such as specific optical absorption bands or scintillation properties.