Abstract: The invention includes a thin film optical coating having a layer comprising sol-gel derived niobium oxide which is capable of providing an index of refraction of at least about 1.90. The invention also includes a thin film optical coating having a layer comprising a sol-gel derived oxide system including niobium oxide and a second oxide component such as aluminum oxide and/or silicon oxide which is capable of providing an index of refraction of from about 1.60 to about 1.90. Also included in the present invention are processes for producing such thin film coatings. In the processes, a substrate is immersed in a mixture comprising niobium chloride and an alcohol, withdrawn from the mixture, and heat-treated. The mixture may also include aluminum precursors and/or silicon precursors. The heat-treatment may occur at various temperatures, including those under 200° C.

Abstract: An antireflective multilayer coating including a thin film optical coating as well as a method for producing such a coating are provided. The thin film optical coating includes a layer of sol-gel derived cerium oxide, silicon dioxide, and at least one oxide of a transition metal selected from Group IIIB through Group VIB of the Periodic Table which is capable of providing a refractive index of at least about 1.90. The thin film may optionally include colloidal gold particles. A method is provided for producing a thin film optical coating including a layer of sol-gel derived cerium oxide, silicon dioxide, and at least one oxide of a transition metal selected from Group IIIB through Group VIB of the Periodic Table by immersing a substrate in a solution comprising cerium nitrate hexahydrate, an alcohol and a chelating agent, withdrawing the substrate from the solution and heat treating the coated substrate to form the metal oxides.

Abstract: The invention includes a thin film optical coating having a layer comprising sol-gel derived niobium oxide which is capable of providing an index of refraction of at least about 1.90. The invention also includes a thin film optical coating having a layer comprising a sol-gel derived oxide system including niobium oxide and a second oxide component such as aluminum oxide and/or silicon oxide which is capable of providing an index of refraction of from about 1.60 to about 1.90. Also included in the present invention are processes for producing such thin film coatings. In the processes, a substrate is immersed in a mixture comprising niobium chloride and an alcohol, withdrawn from the mixture, and heat-treated. The mixture may also include aluminum precursors and/or silicon precursors. The heat-treatment may occur at various temperatures, including those under 200° C.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for producing low sintering fine-particle multicomponent glass powder having a particle size of the primary particle in the nanometer range. The method utilizes microemulsion techniques with subsequent separation of the particles out of the emulsion and calcination for utilization as glass flow having a sintering temperature <900.degree. C. or in a glass flow, for generating thin transparent layers or for generating color decorations on glass, glass ceramic or ceramic substrates after adding a coloring pigment to the glass flow. The microemulsion for producing the nanoscale glass powder particles is generated from a nonionic ambiphilic emulsifier with a component of 10 to 15 percent by weight on the emulsion, from an oil phase having a portion of 50 to 70 percent by weight and a glass precursor-containing aqueous salt solution having a portion of up to 31.3 percent by weight with salt contents of up to 45 percent by weight.

Abstract: Large area decorations of glazings, ceramic paint or the like on glass ceramic, glass, ceramic or similar meltable substrates, in particular on glass ceramic cooking plates, are applied by the new method by means of a laser beam which is widened linearly over the entire width of the area to be decorated, as it were in a zone melting method. The linear energy supply zone is advanced at a speed high enough for essentially only the decorating material to be melted on or burnt in but ensuring that the thermal conduction front does not move appreciably into the substrate material.

Abstract: A process for centrifugal coating of large-surface, arched elements, especially of cathode-ray-tube displays or screens, in which during the centrifugal coating, a disk matched to approximately the shape of the surface to be coated is rotated at a distance of 1 to 10 mm above the surface to be coated at approximately the centrifugal speed equidirectional with the surface to be coated.

Abstract: In a process for manufacturing fiber reinforced composites made or inorganic sinterable material and inorganic fibers the fibers are continuously passed through a bath which works acccording to the fluidized bed principle and which contains a solution of at least one metal alkoxide of the elements of the first to the fourth main groups of the periodic table and the forth and fifth subgroups of the periodic table, which solution already comprises products of hydrolysis and their condensation products, and the fibers moistened with the solution are wound one upon the other to form layers, the moistened and wound fibers are dried, the metal alkoxides on the fibers are completely hydrolyzed and the products of hydrolysis are polycondensated, and the layers of the fibers being adhered by the powder and the polycondensation products of the products of hydrolysis of the metal alkoxides are hot pressed.

Abstract: In a process for producing transparent, electrically conductive, augmented layers of indium oxide by means of a dipping process, during which the substrate to be coated is dipped into a solution containing hydrolyzable compounds of indium, whereupon the substrate is withdrawn from the solution, is dried, and tempered at temperatures of up to 500.degree. C., a dipping solution is used which, in addition to the indium compound, contains at least one additional hydrolyzable compound of an element in the 2nd, 4th or 5th main groups, in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th or 8th subgroup of the periodic system of elements, or of the rare earths.