USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Geoff Chin

Jasbinder Singh Sanghera

Shyam S Bayya

Ishwar Dayal Aggarwal

Daniel Joseph Gibson

Vinh Q Nguyen

Mikhail Kotov

Guillermo R Villalobos

A method for making a gradient index infrared transmitting optic by thermally treating a preform, where the preform comprises two or more infrared transmitting glasses having different compositions and optical properties, where there is an interface between adjacent glasses, where during the thermal treatment one or more chemical elements from the glasses diffuses through one or more interface resulting in a diffused gradient index optical element comprising a gradient in the chemical element concentration, and where the optical element has a gradient in refractive index and dispersion. Also disclosed is the related infrared transmitting optical element made by this method.

Gradient index infrared transmitting optics and method for making same

A method for bonding infrared transmitting glasses into an optical element without interlayer voids by stacking at least two different infrared transmitting glasses inside a vessel where each glass has a different refractive index, a different dispersion, or both, and where the glasses all have similar viscosities, thermal expansion coefficients, and glass transition temperatures; placing a weight on top of the stack; applying a vacuum to the vessel; applying an isostatic pressure of at least 1500 psi; and after releasing the isostatic pressure, annealing at a temperature within 10&#xb0; C. of the glass transition temperature at a pressure between 0 and 1000 psi. Applying the vacuum, applying the isostatic pressure, and annealing are done sequentially and with no intermediate transitions to ambient temperature or pressure. Also disclosed is the related optical element made by this method.

Layered infrared transmitting optical elements and method for making same

The present invention is generally directed to a method of making chalcogenide glasses including holding the melt in a vertical furnace to promote homogenization and mixing; slow cooling the melt at less than 10&#xb0; C. per minute; and sequentially quenching the melt from the top down in a controlled manner. Additionally, the present invention provides for the materials produced by such method. The present invention is also directed to a process for removing oxygen and hydrogen impurities from chalcogenide glass components using dynamic distillation.

Manufacturing process for chalcogenide glasses

This invention pertains to a process of bonding a magnesium aluminate spinel article or articles and a germanate glass article or articles including the step of heating them together above the softening temperature of the glass.

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Arlington, VA, United States of America

Geoff Chin