Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.

Minoru Tomozawa

Bungo Hatta

John Acocella

E Bruce Watson

The invention relates to a process for making a SiO&#x2014;REO&#x2014;AlOglass comprising preparing a glass according to a conventional process wherein the conventional process comprises a step of heat treating a mixture of SiO, REO, and AlOat a temperature greater than the spinodal temperature for 0.1 to 10 hours wherein REOis a rare earth oxide and RE is a rare earth element chosen from Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and combinations thereof. The invention also relates to glasses prepared by the process and glass lasers, optical amplifiers and laminated glass that comprise the glass prepared by the process.

Process for making rare earth containing glass

A radiation coloration resistant glass is disclosed which is used in a radiation environment sufficient to cause coloration in most forms of glass. The coloration resistant glass includes higher proportions by weight of water and has been found to be extremely resistant to color change when exposed to such radiation levels. The coloration resistant glass is free of cerium oxide and has more than about 0.5% by weight water content. Even when exposed to gamma radiation of more than 10.sup.7 rad, the coloration resistant glass does not lose transparency.

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Troy, NY, United States of America

Minoru Tomozawa