Abstract:
A system and method for forming infrared glass optical components are provided. The system includes first and second mold halves having first and second respective faces. The first and second mold halves are configured to be removably coupled such that the first face and the second face form an interface that defines a lens-shaped cavity. A tapered surface of the first face cooperates with a tapered surface of the second face to enhance centering of the first face with respect to the second face.
Abstract:
In one aspect, the invention features a fiber waveguide having a waveguide axis, including a first portion extending along the waveguide axis, and a second portion different from the first portion extending along the waveguide axis surrounding the first portion, wherein at least one of the first and second portions comprises a chalcogenide glass selected from the group consisting of Selenium chalcogenide glasses and Tellurium chalcogenide glasses, both the first and second portions have a viscosity greater than 103 Poise at some temperature, T, and the fiber waveguide is a photonic crystal fiber.
Abstract:
This invention pertains to a hollow core photonic band gap chalcogenide optical glass fiber and to a fabrication method for making the fiber. The fiber, which is 80-1000 microns in outside diameter, is characterized by a solid glass circumferential region and a structured region disposed centrally within the solid region, the structured region includes a hollow core of 1 micron to several hundreds of microns in diameter surrounded by a plurality of parallel hollow capillaries extending parallel to the core, the core being centrally and longitudinally located within the fiber. Ratio of open space to glass in the structured region is 30-99%. The fabrication method includes the steps of providing a mold, placing chalcogenide micro-tubes around the mold, stacking chalcogenide micro-canes around the stacked micro-tubes, fusing the micro-tubes and the micro-canes to form a preform, removing the mold and drawing the preform to obtain the fiber. In an alternative fabrication method, the fiber is made by extruding flowing chalcogenide glass through suitably made plate to form a preform and then drawing the preform to form the fiber.
Abstract:
An optical fiber having a length can include a core and at least one cladding disposed about the core, where the one cladding can comprise at least first volumetric regions having a first refractive index n1 and second volumetric regions having a second refractive index n2, different from n1, and the first and second volumetric regions in any cross-section taken through the fiber can be randomly intermingled with one another, where the random intermingling of the first and second volumetric regions changes with changes in the location of the cross-section along the length of the fiber.
Abstract:
This invention pertains to a hollow core photonic band gap chalcogenide optical glass fiber and to a fabrication method for making the fiber. The fiber, which is 80-1000 microns in outside diameter, is characterized by a solid glass circumferential region and a structured region disposed centrally within the solid region, the structured region includes a hollow core of 1 micron to several hundreds of microns in diameter surrounded by a plurality of parallel hollow capillaries extending parallel to the core, the core being centrally and longitudinally located within the fiber. Ratio of open space to glass in the structured region is 30-99%. The fabrication method includes the steps of providing a mold, placing chalcogenide micro-tubes around the mold, stacking chalcogenide micro-canes around the stacked micro-tubes, fusing the micro-tubes and the micro-canes to form a preform, removing the mold and drawing the preform to obtain the fiber. In an alternative fabrication method, the fiber is made by extruding flowing chalcogenide glass through suitably made plate to form a preform and then drawing the preform to form the fiber.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a process for producing sulfide glass or sulfide glass ceramic each capable of conducting a lithium ion, comprising subjecting metallic lithium, sulfur as a simple substance and phosphorus as a simple substance as starting raw materials, which constitute the sulfide glass and sulfide glass ceramic, to mechanical milling to thereby convert them into sulfide glass or sulfide glass ceramic; and a whole solid type cell using the above-mentioned sulfide glass ceramic as a solid electrolyte. According to the present invention, it is made possible to produce sulfide glass and sulfide glass ceramic which are each capable of conducting a lithium ion and which have high electroconductivity at room temperature by a simple and advantageous process from starting raw materials being easily available and inexpensive.
Abstract:
A system and method for preparing chalcogenide glass are provided that allow for larger quantities of glass to be produced with lower production costs and less risks of environmental hazards. The system includes a reaction container operable to hold chalcogenide glass constituents during a glass formation reaction, a stirring rod operable to mix the contents of the reaction container, a thermocouple operable to measure the temperature inside the reaction container, and a reaction chamber operable to hold the reaction container. The method includes placing chalcogenide glass constituents in a reaction container, heating the chalcogenide glass constituents above the melting point of at least one of the constituents, promoting dissolving or reaction of the other constituents, stirring the reaction melt, maintaining an overpressure of at least one atmosphere over the reaction melt, and cooling the reaction melt to below the chalcogenide glass transition temperature.
Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a glass fiber includes a process of drawing a starting glass material partially or entirely made of chalcogenide glass or oxychalcogenide glass, such as preform rod, rod-in-tube, or jacketing tube, into a glass fiber in an atmosphere containing sulfur. The concentration of the sulfur in the atmosphere is set at sulfur's vapor pressure or greater around the glass surface at a maximum temperature of the glass fiber while the glass fiber is drawn, thereby fabricating the glass fiber without forming substantially any crystallization on the glass surface.
Abstract:
A method for fabricating a lens in which the lens composition is controlled by dynamic shaping and shadowing. A lens material is vaporized and directed to a substrate through an orifice which is rotating relative to the substrate about the lens axis and which has a non-uniform radial distribution. The lens material is condensed on the substrate to form a lens having a radially non-uniform but axially symmetrical distribution. Thereafter, the original orifice may be replaced by a complimentary orifice and another lens material vaporized and directed to the substrate through the replacement orifice which is also rotating relative to the substrate about the lens axis and which also has a non-uniform radial distribution. This second lens material condenses on the first condensed lens material to form a compound lens.
Abstract:
The present invention provides for synthesizing high optical quality multicomponent chalcogenide glasses without refractive index perturbations due to striae, phase separation or crystal formation using a two-zone furnace and multiple fining steps. The top and bottom zones are initially heated to the same temperature, and then a temperature gradient is created between the top zone and the bottom zone. The fining and cooling phase is divided into multiple steps with multiple temperature holds.