Abstract: A method employing a casting head having a variably displaceable cavity surface. The casting head comprises a cavity, at least partially formed by plurality of surfaces, including a carrier surface adjacent the cavity, and a variably displaceable drive surface for controlling a pressure of a viscous casting material in a region proximate the carrier surface. In one embodiment of the invention, the casting head further comprises a doctor blade, disposed proximate the carrier surface, forming a gap therebetween for egress of the casting material. In another embodiment of the casting head, the variably displaceable drive surface is comprised of a piston. The piston is actuated by a driver-controlled motor according to a pre-determined displacement program, or according to the level of the casting material in the cavity.

Abstract: A casting head having a variably displaceable cavity surface, and a method for using the casting head to produce films is disclosed. The casting head comprises a cavity, at least partially formed by plurality of surfaces, including a carrier surface adjacent the cavity, and a variably displaceable drive surface for controlling a pressure of a viscous casting material in a region proximate the carrier surface. In one embodiment of the invention, the casting head further comprises a doctor blade, disposed proximate the carrier surface, forming a gap therebetween for egress of the casting material. In another embodiment of the casting head, the variably displaceable drive surface is comprised of a piston. The piston is actuated by a driver-controlled motor according to a pre-determined displacement program, or according to the level of the casting material in the cavity.

Abstract: A casting head having a variably displaceable cavity surface. The casting head comprises a cavity, at least partially formed by plurality of surfaces, including a carrier surface adjacent the cavity, and a variably displaceable drive surface for controlling a pressure of a viscous casting material in a region proximate the carrier surface. In one embodiment of the invention, the casting head further comprises a doctor blade, disposed proximate the carrier surface, forming a gap therebetween for egress of the casting material. In another embodiment of the casting head, the variably displaceable drive surface is comprised of a piston. The piston is actuated by a driver-controlled motor according to a pre-determined displacement program, or according to the level of the casting material in the cavity.

Abstract: A tape casting machine has a casting base with a feed location lying generally in a horizontal plane, and a casting head positioned to dispense a slurry onto the casting base. The casting base and the casting head are movable relative to each other. The casting head includes a reservoir containing the slurry, and a doctor blade having a lower leading margin contacting the slurry in the reservoir and disposed adjacent to but not contacting the casting base. The slurry exits from the reservoir to the feed location of the casting base between the lower leading margin of the doctor blade and the casting base to form a cast tape. The lower trailing margin of the doctor blade has a curvature in the horizontal plane and/or a vertical plane.

Abstract: A substrate (20) is treated prior to use to induce a near-perpendicular orientation of a liquid crystal director (26) relative to the substrate. A layer of silica (98) is deposited upon the substrate (20) by in-line magnetron sputtering as the substrate ( 20) is moved past the sputtering target (78), and the silica-coated substrate (20) is thereafter treated with a long-chain alcohol. The alcohol-treated substrate (20) is covered with a layer of liquid crystal (22), the director (26) of the liquid crystal (22) assuming a field-off state tilted about 1-3 degrees from the perpendicular toward an azimuthal direction (30) parallel to the direction of movement of the substrate (20) during deposition.

Abstract: A system and method for fabricating optical ramp filters utilizes an ion beam sputter etching system and a shaped aperture mask to produce optical ramp filters with precise control over the transmission and reflectance properties of the filter. The ion beam is passed through a shaped aperture whose width varies as a function of its length. The resultant shaped ion beam is used to etch a uniform reflective layer that was previously deposited on a transparent substrate. The substrate and the reflective layer are translated relative to the shaped aperture so that the shaped ion beam "travels" across the reflective layer. Different parts of the reflective layer are exposed to the ion beam for different amounts of time as a result of the varying width of the shaped ion beam. The result is a reflective layer with a nonuniform depth profile (a ramp filter). The method allows control of the layer thickness with a precision of less than 0.5 nm.

Abstract: A process is provided for modifying a surface of a large area, non-planar substrate to form micro structures therein that alter its optical properties. The process includes forming the micro structures by reactive ion beam etching through a chosen pattern that has been prepared on the surface.

Abstract: A substrate (20) is treated prior to use to induce a near-perpendicular orientation of a liquid crystal director (26) relative to the substrate. A layer of silica (38) is deposited upon the substrate (20) by in-line magnetron sputtering as the substrate (20) is moved past the sputtering target (78), and the silica-coated substrate (20) is thereafter treated with a long-chain alcohol. The alcohol-treated substrate (20) is covered with a layer of liquid crystal (22), the director (26) of the liquid crystal (22) assuming a field-off state tilted about 1-3 degrees from the perpendicular toward an azimuthal direction (30) parallel to the direction of movement of the substrate (20) during deposition.