Patent · US Expired

Method of making an article comprising an optical component, and article comprising the component

US5287427A · kind A · utility

107Cited by
10References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 28, 1993
Grant dateFeb 15, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 28, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B2006/12038
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Unexpectedly large normalized refractive index changes (.DELTA.>10.sup.-5, but possibly even larger than 10.sup.-3) can be obtained in oxide glass, e.g., high-silica glass, by a treatment that comprises exposing at least a portion of the glass at a temperature of at most 250.degree. C. to H.sub.2 or D.sub.2 (partial H.sub.2 or D.sub.2 pressure greater than 1 atmosphere), and irradiating at least a part of the exposed portion with actinic (typically UV) radiation. The method can be used to make optical components that comprise a region (or regions) of raised refractive index, e.g., an in-line refractive index grating in an optical waveguide, a planar optical waveguide, or a phase grating.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.