초록 ▼

A method of producing a glass article having a graded refractive index profile of a parabolic nature is disclosed. The method comprises soaking a preform having a porous matrix with interconnected pores into a stuffing solution containing at least one index modifying dopant of predetermined solubili

A method of producing a glass article having a graded refractive index profile of a parabolic nature is disclosed. The method comprises soaking a preform having a porous matrix with interconnected pores into a stuffing solution containing at least one index modifying dopant of predetermined solubility in the stuffing solution for a time interval to fill the pores with the dopant solution, precipitating the dopant into the porous matrix approximately uniformly throughout, soaking the preform into a solvent solution having a solubility for the dopant lower than the solubility of the dopant in the stuffing solution for a time interval sufficient to cause substantially all of the dopant to redissolve and for diffusion to take place out of the porous matrix in such a way that the dopant concentration decreases as a function of radial distance from the central axis, precipitating the dopant in the porous matrix by reducing the temperature of the preform to a level such that the dopant is precipitated out of solution, removing the solvent and where necessary decomposition products from the preform, and heating to consolidate the preform to produce a glass article having a graded refractive index profile of the parabolic nature.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of producing a glass article having a graded refractive index profile of a near parabolic nature, comprising: (a) soaking a preform having a porous matrix with interconnected pores in a stuffing solution containing at least one index modifying dopant of predetermined solubility in the stuff

A method of producing a glass article having a graded refractive index profile of a near parabolic nature, comprising: (a) soaking a preform having a porous matrix with interconnected pores in a stuffing solution containing at least one index modifying dopant of predetermined solubility in the stuffing solution for a time interval to fill the pores with the dopant solution; (b) precipitating the dopant into the porous matrix approximately uniformly throughout; (c) soaking the preform into a solvent solution having a solubility for the dopant lower than said predetermined solubility of the dopant in the stuffing solution for a time interval sufficient to cause substantially all of the dopant to redissolve and for diffusion to take place out of the porous matrix in such a way that the dopant concentration decreases as a function of radial distance from the central axis; (d) precipitating the dopant in the porous matrix by reducing the temperature of the preform to a level such that the dopant is precipitated out of solution; (e) removing the solvent and where necessary decomposition products from the preform; and (f) heating to consolidate the preform to produce a glass article having a graded refractive index profile of the parabolic nature.