Abstract: A multi-pane window having a low emissivity layer and a photochromic glass. The window includes at least two panes of glass. An outside pane for interaction with the outdoors and an inside pane spaced apart from the outside pane. The outside pane includes a low emissivity coating. The inside pane includes a photochromic glass. The outside pane transmits solar light wavelengths. The photochromic glass is darkened upon exposure to light transmitted by the outside pane.

Abstract: A method for producing a shaped glass article may include heating at least a portion of a mold-facing surface of the glass article to a forming temperature, shaping the glass article in a mold, and removing the multilayer coating from the glass article. The glass article may be coated with a multi-layer removable coating including an inner layer in contact with the glass article and an outer layer disposed over the inner layer. The mold may be in direct contact with the outer layer during shaping. The inner layer may include a first glass having a softening point of at least about 50° C. less than a softening point of the glass article. The outer layer may include a second glass having a softening point of at least about 50° C. greater than the softening point of the glass article.

Abstract: A window is provided comprising an outside glass pane and an inside glass pane. The outside glass pane includes a low emissivity layer. The inside glass pane comprises a photochromic glass and is spaced apart from and disposed substantially parallel to the outside glass pane. The outside glass pane transmits light in the visible portion of the optical spectrum. The low emissivity layer of the outside glass pane blocks transmission of solar radiation in the IR and near-IR bands, and transmits solar radiation in an activation band of the photochromic glass to darken the photochromic glass and reduce visible light transmittance through the photochromic glass.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing processes for making transparent three-dimensional parts from inorganic material powders involve selective use of vacuum to remove or avoid trapped bubbles in the parts.

Abstract: A method for producing a shaped glass article may include heating at least a portion of a mold-facing surface of the glass article to a forming temperature, shaping the glass article in a mold, and removing the multilayer coating from the glass article. The glass article may be coated with a multi-layer removable coating including an inner layer in contact with the glass article and an outer layer disposed over the inner layer. The mold may be in direct contact with the outer layer during shaping. The inner layer may include a first glass having a softening point of at least about 50° C. less than a softening point of the glass article. The outer layer may include a second glass having a softening point of at least about 50° C. greater than the softening point of the glass article.

Abstract: A multi-pane window having a low emissivity layer and a photochromic glass. The window includes at least two panes of glass. An outside pane for interaction with the outdoors and an inside pane spaced apart from the outside pane. The outside pane includes a low emissivity coating. The inside pane includes a photochromic glass. The outside pane transmits solar light wavelengths. The photochromic glass is darkened upon exposure to light transmitted by the outside pane.

Abstract: A method is provided for sealing one or more fill holes (42, 44) in a glass plate (14) of an organic dye solar cell and other glass packages by covering the hole(s) (42, 44) with a laser absorbing glass patch (52, 54). The outer perimeter of the glass patch (52, 54) is melted with a laser such that the outer perimeter of the glass patch (52, 54) is hermetically sealed to the glass plate (14). Another method is provided in which the fill holes (42, 44) are covered with a glass patch (52, 54) having a loop of absorbing frit around the outer periphery thereof. The loop of frit is melted with a laser such that the outer perimeter of the glass patch (52, 54) is hermetically sealed to the glass plate (14).

Abstract: An optical device (10) includes a broad area laser (72) for lasing at a first wavelength (64), a multimode active-doped tapered waveguide laser (6); and a multimode passive planar mode transformer (118) coupling and tapering from the broad area laser (72) to the multimode active-doped tapered waveguide laser (6).

Abstract: An optical device (10) includes a broad area laser (72) for lasing at a first wavelength (64), a multimode active-doped tapered waveguide laser (6); and a multimode passive planar mode transformer (118) coupling and tapering from the broad area laser (72) to the multimode active-doped tapered waveguide laser (6).

Abstract: There is proposed an optical amplifier apparatus particularly for use in networks distributing signals by optical fibers, comprising first and second parallel optical branches (1, 2), the first optical branch (1) including optical amplifier means (5, 6) for amplifying digital signals and the second optical branch including optical amplifier means (7) for amplifying analogue signals, the optical amplifier means (5, 6) of the first optical path (1) being adapted to amplify bidirectional digital signals and the optical amplifier means (7) of the second optical branch (2) being adapted to amplify unidirectional analogue signals.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention an optically active glass contains Sb2O3, up to about 4 mole % of an oxide of a rare earth element, and 0-20 mole % of a metal halide selected from the group consisting of a metal fluoride, a metal bromide, a metal chloride, and mixtures thereof, wherein this metal is a trivalent metal, a divalent metal, a monovalent metal, and mixtures thereof. In addition, any of the glass compositions described herein may contain up to 15 mole % B2O3 substituted for an equivalent amount of Sb2O3.

Abstract: A glass composition well suited for use in optical amplification consists of an erbium-doped borate glass composition comprising at least 30 mole percent of B2O3, not over 30 mole percent of SiO2, preferably not over 5 mole percent of La2O3, a ratio of B2O3 to (&Sgr;X2O+&Sgr;YO) that is at least 3.5, preferably 4.5, where X2O represents monovalent metal oxides(s) and YO represents divalent metal oxides, the glass providing a wide useful bandwidth (50 nm and greater) for optical amplification around the 1545 nm region.

Abstract: The invention relates to a family of erbium-doped fluorophosphate glasses for use in optical signal amplification and which are doped, for 100 parts by weight constituted by: P2O5 15-40 MgF2 0-10 Al2O3  0-5 CaF2 0-25 MgO  0-9 SrF2 0-25 CaO  0-9 BaF2 0-20 SrO  0-9 KHF2 0-2 BaO  0-45 K2TiF6 0-2 AlF3  5-25 with up to 10 parts by weight of erbium oxide. The glasses according to the present invention exhibit a high gain and very flat spectrum over the 1550 nm bandwidth. These glass compositions are particularly well suited for use in fiber or planar optical amplification in WDM and similar applications.

Abstract: A glass consisting essentially of antimony oxide. An optically active glass consisting essentially of antimony oxide and up to about 4 mole % of an oxide of a rare earth element. A rare earth-doped, antimony oxide-containing glass including 0-99 mole % SiO2, 0-99 mole % GeO2, 0-75 mole % (Al, Ga)2O3, 0.5-99 mole % Sb2O3, and up to about 4 mole % of an oxide of a rare earth element. The oxide of the rare earth element may comprise Er2O3. The glass of the invention further includes fluorine, expressed as a metal fluoride. An optical energy-producing or light-amplifying device, in particular, an optical amplifier, comprising the above-described glass. The optical amplifier can be either a fiber amplifier or a planar amplifier, either of which may have a hybrid composition. Embodiments of the glass of the invention can be formed by conventional glass making techniques, while some of the high content antimony oxide embodiments are formed by splat or roller quenching.

Abstract: A multicomponent particulate gel includes 80-100 mole % SiO2, 1-10 mole % X2O, 1-10 mole % YO, 1-15 mole % Al2O3, and 0.1-5.0 weight % Er2O3,where X represents lithium, sodium, potassium, or mixtures thereof and Y represents calcium, barium, magnesium, lead or mixtures thereof, and the ratio of Al2O3 to (X2O+YO) is between about 0.9 and about 2.5. A process of manufacturing the gel includes hydrolyzing alkoxide derivatives of silicon, aluminum, erbium, lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, barium, magnesium, lead or mixtures thereof in water to generate their respective hydroxide derivatives; polymerizing the hydroxide derivatives to produce a gel slurry comprising an essentially silica network; and drying the gel slurry to produce the gel.

Abstract: According to the invention, a) at least the first and second compositions of this material in the fluid phase are prepared, b) a sheet (61) of the first composition is poured continuously onto a flat support (4), c) a sheet (62) of the second composition is poured continuously onto sheet (61) of the first composition, and d) the thermal interdiffusion of the materials of the two sheets is ensured so as to obtain the desired gradient of composition in the cooled bar.

Abstract: The invention concerns photochromic glasses with improved properties having the following composition, in wt. %: SiO.sub.2 : 51-66, B.sub.2 O.sub.3 : 15-23, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 : 3-10, ZrO.sub.2 : 2.5-11, TiO.sub.2 : 0-1, Li.sub.2 O: 3-7, Na.sub.2 O: 0-8, K.sub.2 O: 2-9, Ag: 0.080-0.30, CuO>0.0020-0.0130, Cl: 0.1-0.6, Br 0.040-0.3, MgO: 0-3, CaO: 0-3, SrO: 0-3, BaO: 0-3, Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 : 0-1, La.sub.2 O.sub.3 : 0-8, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 : 0-8, with 0.2<Ag/(Cl+Br).ltoreq.0.5, Br/(Cl+Br)>0.15, 0.5.ltoreq.La.sub.2 O.sub.3 +Y.sub.2 O.sub.3.ltoreq.8, TiO.sub.2 +Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 .ltoreq.1.2, 10.ltoreq.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 +ZrO.sub.2 .ltoreq.17, MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO.ltoreq.6. Use for the production of ophthalmic lenses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making a rectangular bar have a gradient composition. In optical or ophthalmic applications, the gradient of composition ensures formation of a corresponding gradient of optical property, such as refractive index or optical density. The glass material is manufactured using a device containing several reservoirs, all designed to contain glass in the fluid state. According to the invention, the composition of the glass varies from one reservoir to the other so that the refractive indices, for example, of the three compositions are different, with an incremental progression. The fluid glass is deposited one composition on top of the next and then heated, creating a certain degree of interdiffusion between the layers. The glass is then heat-treated to create the desired property profile.

Abstract: The material is in a fluid state at a predetermined temperature above the ambient temperature. According to the invention: a) at least two different compositions of this material in the fluid state are prepared; b) simultaneously and concentrically both the core of the rod with the aid of one of the compositions and a sheath enveloping this core with the aid of another composition are cast; and c) the casting is then taken to a temperature at which it solidifies to constitute the rod. Advantageously, the section of the casting is made to grow by its passing through a cylindrical mold shaped to define the final section of the rod. Application to the manufacture of a glass rod presenting a cross-sectional refractive index gradient.

Abstract: A protective coating which imparts non-stick and abrasion resistant properties, as well as hydrophobic properties to an inorganic article, the coating being the composition product between hydroxyl groups on the surface of the inorganic article and a composition comprising a silane, a metal alkoxide and an acidified aqueous mixture of a lower alkanol. The silane content is at least 50% of the total sum of the silane plus the metal alkoxide. The metal alkoxide is at least 5% and preferably 10% of the total sum of the silane plus the metal alkoxide.