Abstract: Embodiments of the invention described herein include metamaterials that exhibit negative permittivity and negative permeability at optical frequencies, methods for preparing such materials, and devices prepared from same.

Abstract: A mask frame on which a mask, having a pattern area and a mask edge defining the pattern area, is fixed comprises: a through opening corresponding to the pattern area; and a base corresponding to the mask edge. The base is provided with discharging holes formed therein, and a vacuum pump is coupled to the discharging holes so that the mask is fixed to the mask frame without damaging the pattern formed on the pattern area of the mask.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a spinel article. The article comprises a spinel material, wherein the spinel material has a monomodal grain size distribution with average grain sizes of less than or equal to about 15 micrometers, and a biaxial flexural strength of greater than or equal to about 300 megapascals when measured by a ring-on-ring flexural test as per ASTM Standard C1499-08. Disclosed herein too is a spinel article manufactured by a method comprising calcining a spinel powder; milling the powder in a milling medium; granulating the powder; screening the powder to a mesh size of about 40 to about 200 mesh; pressing the powder to form an article; burning out organics from the article; sintering the article; and hot isostatically pressing the article.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an imaging component is provided comprising placing a focusing device in between a laser generator and a scintillator element; generating a laser using the laser generator; focusing the laser using the focusing device such that a focal spot of the laser is coincident with a portion of the isotropic portion; using the laser to alter the optical properties at the focal spot such that anisotropy is generated in the isotropic portion; and moving the focal spot relative to the scintillator element such that a three-dimensional pattern with altered optical properties is generated. The three-dimensional pattern controls the spread of photons within the scintillator element.

Abstract: Ceramic is molded to produce a molded ceramic product, using a mold that has a portion for forming the trough of a first thread formed on the molded ceramic product. The trough of the first thread is higher than the crest of a second thread formed on a mating component to be engaged with the first thread. Subsequently, the molded ceramic is fired. The trough of the first thread formed on the molded ceramic product thus produced has a depth that allows the trough of the first thread to avoid interference with the crest of the second thread of the mating component.

Abstract: A mold-press forming apparatus for applying a molding pressure to a mold containing a forming material to perform press forming includes a loading chamber (that is, an airtight chamber) P1 kept airtight. The loading chamber P1 is connected to a pressure reducing member which includes evacuating members 14 and 13 arranged in an evacuating path 7 connected to the loading chamber P1 for evacuating a gas in the loading chamber P1, and a plurality of valves 11 and 12 arranged in the evacuating path 7 in parallel to each other. When the loading chamber P1 is evacuated, the pressure reducing member changes a pressure reducing rate in the course of pressure reduction.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for smoothing a surface of an optical element with a laser. Firstly, an optical element having a rough surface is provided. Next, the rough surface of the optical element is illuminated with a laser. The rough surface absorbs laser energy and melts into a liquid. The liquid is stretched and planarized by the surface tension of the rough surface and then solidifies into a smooth surface. The present invention can smooth the surface of an optical element and promote the resonant or waveguide performance of the optical element.

Abstract: A method of making a transparent ceramic including the steps of providing nano-ceramic powders in a processed or unprocessed form, mixing the powders with de-ionized water, the step of mixing the powders with de-ionized water producing a slurry, sonifing the slurry to completely wet the powder and suspend the powder in the de-ionized water, separating very fine particles from the slurry, molding the slurry, and curing the slurry to produce the transparent ceramic.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transmission type optical element configured so that a convex/concave structure is formed on a surface thereof, and that incident light to the optical element is subjected to an action at the convex/concave structure. In this optical element, a layer having a convex/concave structure is formed on one of surfaces of a substrate. The transmittance of each of the substrate and the layer having the convex/concave structure at a wavelength of 360 nm is set to be 90% or more so that the transmittance of the layer having the convex/concave structure is equal to or less than the transmittance of the substrate.

Abstract: In the present invention, provided is an optical film exhibiting less generation of horseback failure, winding core transfer and wrinkles on a film when starting winding, and also provided is a manufacturing method thereof, further together with a polarizing plate and a liquid crystal display device exhibiting high contrast. Also disclosed is an optical film possessing a cellulose ester and a UV absorbent represented by the following Formula (1): wherein R1 represents R2 represents a methyl group, a t-butyl group, a t-amyl group or a t-octyl group; R3 represents a substituent; each of R4 and R5 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; m is an integer of 0-3; and n is an integer of 0-4.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an integrated solar cell and concentrator. The method includes providing a first photovoltaic region and a second photovoltaic region disposed within a first mold member. A second mold member is coupled to the first mold member to form a cavity region. The cavity region forms a first concentrator region overlying a vicinity of the first photovoltaic region and a second concentrator region overlying a vicinity of the second photovoltaic region. The method includes transferring a molding compound in a fluidic state into the cavity region to fill the cavity region with the molding compound and initiating a curing process of the molding compound to form a first concentrator element and a second concentrator element overlying the respective photovoltaic regions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a formed article comprising forming an upper surface of a glass material that has been positioned on a forming surface of a mold to obtain the formed article by heating the glass material to a temperature permitting deformation to bring a lower surface of the glass material into tight contact with the forming surface. Glass having upper and lower surfaces being spherical in shape is employed as the glass material, a mold having a forming surface being a free-form surface other than a spherical surface is employed as the mold, the upper surface of the glass material is formed into a roughly offset surface relative to the forming surface of the mold. The present invention permits the manufacturing of formed articles of desired shape with high precision by hot sag molding method. The present invention also permits the easy and simple determination of the surface shapes of molds and glass materials employed in hot sag molding method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the incorporation of nanophosphors (phosphors) into micro-optical structures, and to corresponding illuminants. In this impregnation process, a micro-optical system comprising inverse opal powders is filled with a dispersion of a nanophosphor.

Abstract: A method of producing a component with a surface structure (4) includes providing a suspension of particles susceptible to sintering in a liquid medium, providing a stamp element (2) having a structured surface (7) provided with a negative imprint of at least a part of the surface structure (4), providing a mould (1) including a receptacle (5), introducing a quantity of the suspension (6) in the receptacle (5), and applying the structured surface (7) of the stamp element (2) to the suspension in the receptacle. The receptacle of the mould has least one porous wall (8,9).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing optical elements, in particular lenses made from an optoceramic, comprising a forming step, which step comprises the formation of a green body. The invention further relates to optical elements produced according to the before mentioned process. The process according to the present invention comprises a forming step including the application of a mould being close to the final geometry of the body to be formed (near net shape principle) including the application of moderate pressure between 0.1 MPa and 50 MPa, preferably between about 0.5 MPa and 25 MPa, in particular preferred between about 1 MPa und 12 MPa. The pressure is applied either on the ceramic powder mass during positioning of the ceramic powder mass into the form or is applied onto the ceramic powder mass within the form.

Abstract: New methods are provided for manufacture ceramic elements that include injection molding of two, three or more distinct ceramic layers or regions that form the element. Ceramic elements also are provided that are obtainable from fabrication methods of the invention.

Abstract: An infrared optical element, and methods for its manufacture. The optical element is made by cold working an ingot of a soft crystalline ionic solid such as silver halide or a thallium halide inside a sacrificial split die. The solid preferably includes at most one part per million of metallic impurities and at most ten parts per million total impurities. Preferably, the Knoop hardness of the ionic solid is at most about 20, and the elongation ratio of the ionic solid is at least 10% at a temperature of 120-180° C. The optical element maybe a bulk element or a surface element. The optical element may be a refractive element, a diffractive element or a hybrid element. One such element is a flat sensor for attenuated total reflection spectroscopy. In one embodiment of the sensor, a thin layer of silver halide or thallium halide is formed by diffusion or deposition on the surface of a substrate having a lower index of refraction than the layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a desired pattern in a layer positioned on a substrate with a mold, the method including, inter alia, contacting the layer with the mold forming a shape therein having a plurality of features extending in a first direction; and altering dimensions of the shape of the layer in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, to eliminate a subset of the plurality of features having a dimension less that a predetermined magnitude while obtaining the desired pattern in the layer.

Abstract: There is provided a radiation sensitive refractive index changing composition containing an inorganic oxide particle, a polymerizable compound, a radiation sensitive decomposer and an escapable compound. The radiation sensitive decomposer decomposes upon exposure to radiation to form an acid, base or radical, and this decomposed product increases the molecular weight of the polymerizable compound.

Abstract: A separation wall transfer mold adaptive to form separation walls on a substrate, includes a main body. A separation wall concave section has concaves for separation walls and is formed in a surface of the main body for a material of the separation walls to be spewed into the separation wall concave section when the separation wall transfer mold is pressed to a substrate. A spew preventing concave section is formed in the surface of the main body for an excess portion of the material to be spewed in the spew preventing concave section.

Abstract: Optical windows for protecting infrared sensing instruments are manufactured from nano-sized crystallites by compressing the crystallites into a continuous mass under high pressure in the presence of a pulsed electric current, preferably one produced by spark plasma sintering. The resulting materials have excellent optical and mechanical properties that make them favorable as replacements for the conventional single-crystal sapphire.

Abstract: A transfer arm holds a plurality of preforms arranged in a single line and simultaneously drops and supplies the preforms downward. A positioning arm has a pair of arm split members split in its widthwise direction. The arm split members have positioning surfaces formed on their contact surfaces to be brought into contact with outer peripheries of the preforms. After the preforms are dropped and supplied from the transfer arm, the arm split members of the positioning arm are opened and closed so that the positioning surfaces are brought into contact with the outer peripheries of the preforms. Thus, the performs are properly positioned.

Abstract: A method of joining at least two sintered bodies to form a composite structure, including providing a first multicomponent metallic oxide having a perovskitic or fluorite crystal structure; providing a second sintered body including a second multicomponent metallic oxide having a crystal structure of the same type as the first; and providing at an interface a joint material containing at least one metal oxide containing at least one metal identically contained in at least one of the first and second multicomponent metallic oxides. The joint material is free of cations of Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, P and Te and has a melting point below the sintering temperatures of both sintered bodies. The joint material is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the metal oxide(s) and below the sintering temperatures of the sintered bodies to form the joint. Structures containing such joints are also disclosed.

Abstract: A vessel according to the present invention is made of a transparent or translucent material and includes a main portion and end portions which are integrated into the main portion, respectively. At least a central area of the main portion has a thickness smaller than at the respective end portions and at the boundary areas of the respective end portions and the main portion. The inner diameter of the respective end portions is not more than about 2 mm.

Abstract: A moving bed filtration process for the production of sphere based crystals is disclosed. Sphere based crystals having an opal-like structure or an inverse opal-like structure can be produced in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: A planar lens capable of compensating for chromatic aberration and which is easy to manufacture and enables easy assembling of optical pickups and a method for fabricating the planar lens are provided. The planar lens includes a transparent substrate with a lens cavity in a surface of the transparent substrate, and a lens element formed in the lens cavity with a first refracting surface in contact with the bottom of the lens cavity and a second diffracting surface having a diffraction grating opposite to the first refracting surface.

Abstract: Ordered, monodisperse macroporous polymers, their corresponding ordered, monodisperse colloids, and methods of preparing them are disclosed. The methods use an ordered, monodisperse colloidal template to define the polymer pore morphology, which in turn acts as a mold for the growth of a new ordered, monodisperse colloid. The macroporous polymer may be prepared with either spherical or ellipsoidal pores from a wide variety of polymeric systems. The new ordered, monodisperse colloid may be grown from a wide variety of materials including ceramics, semiconductors, metals and polymers. These materials are potentially useful in optical, micro-filtering and drug delivery applications.

Abstract: A moving bed filtration process for the production of sphere based crystals is disclosed. Sphere based crystals having an opal-like structure or an inverse opal-like structure can be produced in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: Provided is a method of forming a substrate with which a good-quality substrate having few cracks is obtained. On a growth base made of sapphire with a thickness of smaller than or equal to 100 ?m, a GaN substrate is grown as heating the growth base, and cooling is provided therefor. At this time, the thickness of the substrate subject to growth is made larger than or equal to 200 ?m and the curvature thereof is made smaller than or equal to 0.03 cm?1, the curvature being caused by the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of the growth base and the substrate. Thus, even though the substrate is warped due to the cooling after the growth, occurrence of crack in the substrate is prevented and the good-quality substrate is obtained.

Abstract: Aqueous dispersion comprising silicon/titanium mixed oxide powder with a BET surface area of 5 to 500 m2/g which has been prepared by flame hydrolysis and has a titanium dioxide content of 0.5 to 20 wt. %, based on the powder, water and at least one pH-regulating substance which can be removed completely from the reaction mixture on heating, the aqueous dispersion having a solids content of between 40 and 80 wt. %. A green body produced therefrom with a green density of between 40 and 85%. A shaped glass article of optical quality with a coefficient of thermal expansion of not more than 0.5×10?6/K produced from the green body.

Abstract: An objective (1), in particular for a microlithography projection apparatus, has lenses or lens parts falling into at least two groups. The first group (3) is made of a first crystalline material and the second group (5) is made of a second crystalline material. In the first group (3), an outermost aperture ray (15) is subject to a first optical path difference between two mutually orthogonal states of linear polarization; and the same outermost aperture ray is subject to a second optical path difference in the second group (5). The two different crystalline materials are selected so that the first and second optical path difference approximately compensate each other. A suitable selection consists of calcium fluoride for the first and barium fluoride for the second crystalline material.

Abstract: A moving bed filtration process for the production of sphere based crystals is disclosed. Sphere based crystals having an opal-like structure or an inverse opal-like structure can be produced in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: There is provided a radiation sensitive refractive index changing composition containing an inorganic oxide particle, a polymerizable compound, a radiation sensitive decomposer and an escapable compound. The radiation sensitive decomposer decomposes upon exposure to radiation to form an acid, base or radical, and this decomposed product increases the molecular weight of the polymerizable compound.

Abstract: In methods of manufacturing optical components for infrared-light or ultraviolet-light applications, by lessening the expense consumed during finishing processes, a technique for manufacturing ceramic optical components inexpensively is realized.

Abstract: An optical substrate is provided with a surface of a desired shape by coating the surface with a thin layer of an optical glass and subsequently modifying the shape of the external surface of the layer. In preferred embodiments, the temperature of the substrate is maintained at substantially less than 400° C., the substrate is an optical component other than a simple window, and the refractive index o the optical glass is within 20% of the refractive index of the material providing the surface to be coated. One particular use is when both the substrate (e.g. a non-linear optical layer) and the optical glass are optically transmissive in the near infra-red and/or mid infra-red ranges. The glass layer can compensate for physical imperfections in the surface. It can be polished to optical quality, or provide with detail across the coated surface, e.g. as a “moth-eye” anti-reflection layer, or a diffractive or interference structure.

Abstract: A method of making an EUV lithography stage structure includes depositing a layer of a Ti doped SiO2 glass powder in a confined region to provide an underlying layer; applying a binder to form a primitive with the binder bonding the glass powder together at one or more selected regions; depositing an above layer of the glass powder above the deposited layer; applying the binder to the above layer with the binder bonding the glass powder together at one or more selected regions; repeating the deposition and binding steps to produce a number of successive layers with the binder bonding the successive layers together; and removing the unbonded glass powder to provide a bonded glass powder lithography stage structure which is then sintered and densified into a densified nonpowder glass lithography stage.

Abstract: In the case of a method for producing an optical element with at least one curved surface by spherical separation, a spherical-cap-like separating body with cutting elements is used. The separating body is in this case moved in a pivoting movement through a basic body or the basic body is moved through the separating body, a relative rotational movement taking place between the basic body and the separating body with a rotating axis which passes through the center point (M) of the pivoting movement.

Abstract: A method for fabricating large aperture optical fiber preform using a sintering apparatus for gel tube, includes the steps of: forming a uniform sol by mixing/dispersing for mixing fumed silica with deionized water, and adding a dispersing additive to form uniform sol; injecting the sol into a mold with a certain tubular form, and then gellifying the sol; demolding the tube-shaped gel from the mold; drying the tube-shaped gel; processing (or Binder burn-out & Purification) organic compounds including remaining moisture, alkali metallic impurities, and hydroxides in the gel; inserting a primary preform into the tube-shaped gel and then fastening the preform; and after arranging the gel with the primary preform therein into a sintering apparatus, sintering/over cladding the gel with the primary preform therein under vacuum atmosphere at high temperature.

Abstract: The invention provides porous silicon nitride ceramics that have uniform, fine closed pores and a manufacturing method thereof. Metal Si powder is mixed with a sintering additive, followed by thermal treatment, which is a pre-process for forming a specific grain boundary phase. Two-stage thermal treatment is thereafter performed by microwave heating at a temperature of 1000° C. or more. The metal Si powder is thereafter subjected to a nitriding reaction from its surface, the metal Si is thereafter diffused to nitride formed on the outer shell of the metal Si, and thereby porous silicon nitride ceramics that have uniform, fine closed pores can be obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus for the manufacture of chemical vapor deposited domes. The apparatus has a vapor deposition chamber with a plurality of sides, a base and a top where the base has a reactant port for receiving a flow of chemical reactants. A male mandrel is joined to one of a plurality of sides of the deposition chamber such that the flow of chemical reactants in the vapor deposition chamber does not impinge on the mandrel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of efficiently manufacturing a dielectric waveguide with high reliability and precision. In the method, a resist material is formed on the outer surface of a green compact provided with a removal inhibiting layer, and predetermined portion of the green compact defined by the resist material is removed by the sand blasting method using the resist material as a mask, until the removal inhibiting layer is exposed to obtain a shaped green compact structure. The thus-obtained structure is fired to obtain a sintered body which comprises a dielectric strip and a wing.

Abstract: There is provided an optical element which can be handled with ease and mounted on a supporting means for supporting it with high precision and efficiency in the course of manufacturing it, and also there is provided a method for manufacturing such an optical element as described above. A lens element 100 is an optical element which is mounted on a supporting substrate provided with a groove for mounting the lens element. The lens element 100 includes a handling portion 120, a side wall 162a which are brought into contact with the groove for mounting use, and a lens portion 180a. The thickness of the lens portion 180a in the optical axis direction thereof is able to be set arbitrarily.

Abstract: A method of bonding substrates by hydroxide-catalyzed hydration/dehydration involves applying a bonding material to at least one surface to be bonded, and placing the at least one surface sufficiently close to another surface such that a bonding interface is formed between them. A bonding material of the invention comprises a source of hydroxide ions, and may optionally include a silicate component, a particulate filling material, and a property-modifying component. Bonding methods of the invention reliably and reproducibly provide bonds which are strong and precise, and which may be tailored according to a wide range of possible applications. Possible applications for bonding materials of the invention include: forming composite materials, coating substrates, forming laminate structures, assembly of precision optical components, and preparing objects of defined geometry and composition. Bonding materials and methods of preparing the same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process for producing a coated article which has excellent releasability and a surface pattern having a high degree of accuracy efficiently. The process is a process for producing an article having a given surface pattern, which comprises holding a mold horizontally with its surface facing up, feeding a sol-gel material solution onto the surface to form a film, heating them, bringing a substrate into contact with the film, heating them, removing the mold, and further heating the film and the substrate as required to obtain the article having a gelled film whose surface pattern is the inverse of a surface pattern of the mold coated on a surface of the substrate, wherein sol-gel material solution film edge holding zone is provided along the perimeter of the surface of the mold at a lower position than the surface of the mold, and the sol-gel material solution is fed such that the edges of the formed film of the sol-gel material solution reach the zone beyond the perimeter of the surface of the mold.

Abstract: A jadeite material has a thickness in excess of about 1.0 mm and CIELAB indices of L*>42, a*<−6, and b*>+6. The grain size of the jadeite material is less than about 30 microns and is an equiaxed grain structure. The jadeite material has an optical transmission peak between 500 and 565 nm with an I/IO optical transmission ratio of over 40%. The first step in making the jadeite material is to wrap a glass block, convertible by HP/HT into jadeite and having a nominal composition of NaAlSi2O6, with a graphite or refractive metal sheet. The wrapped glass block is placed in an HP/HT apparatus, rapidly heated, and subjected therein to a pressure in excess of about 3 GPa and a temperature in excess of about 1000° C. for a time adequate to convert the glass block into jadeite. The jadeite material then is cooled and the pressure subsequently released.

Abstract: Disclosed are a shaping mold for producing an optical fiber guide block which permits highly accurate positioning and fixing of optical fibers, an optical fiber guide block having such excellent properties, processes for the production of these, and an optical fiber array.

Abstract: A planar optical device is formed on a substrate. The device comprises an array of waveguide cores which guide optical radiation. A cladding layer is formed contiguously with the array of waveguide cores to confine the optical radiation to the array of waveguide cores. At least one of the array of waveguide cores and cladding layer is an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon atoms being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moieties. This material can be designed with an index of refraction between 1.4 and 1.55 and can be deposited rapidly to thicknesses of up to 40 microns. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a planar optical device obviates the need for a lithographic process.

Abstract: A method for molding and aligning microstructures on a patterned substrate using a microstructured mold. A slurry containing a mixture of a ceramic powder and a curable fugitive binder is placed between the microstructure of a stretchable mold and a patterned substrate. The mold can be stretched to align the microstructure of the mold with a predetermined portion of the patterned substrate. The slurry is hardened between the mold and the substrate. The mold is then removed to leave microstructures adhered to the substrate and aligned with the pattern of the substrate. The microstructures can be thermally heated to remove the binder and optimally fired to sinter the ceramic powder.

Abstract: A process for producing an article having a finely uneven surface coated with a film, which has high heat resistance and which neither cracks nor peels off from a substrate, by forming a film of a sol material between a substrate and a mold in such a manner that the film is in close contact with them and applying heat to form a gelled film, which has a surface configuration that is the inversion of the surface configuration of the mold, on the surface of the substrate, wherein the sol material contains (A) R2SiX2 (R is an alkyl group and X is an alkoxyl group or halogen atom) and (B) R′SiX′3 (R′ is an aryl group or substituted aryl group and X′ is an alkoxyl group or halogen atom).

Abstract: A glass diffuser is fabricated by first producing a metal shim submaster or other high temperature resistant diffuser having a surface relief structure on one surface. A glass substrate material is heated to a suitable temperature and at least one exposed surface is thereby softened to a desired degree. The submaster diffuser, and particularly the surface relief structure, is then placed in contact with the exposed and softened glass substrate material in order to replicate the surface relief structure in the glass material. The submaster diffuser and the glass substrate are separated and then the glass is allowed to cool to form a glass diffuser.