Grintech Gmbh

Sandra Hornschuh

Bernhard Messerschmidt

Torsten Possner

Ulf Possner

Christian Ruessel

Christian Prof R Rüssel

The invention is directed to an aluminoborosilicate glass containing alkali metals for the production of optical components with refractive index gradients which are generated by ion exchange of monovalent metal ions in a base glass comprising at least silicon oxide, boron oxide, aluminum oxide and an alkali metal oxide, particularly for the production of gradient index lenses (GRIN lenses). The object of the invention, to find a novel possibility for producing GRIN lenses based on aluminoborosilicate glasses in which the glass has an appreciably reduced tendency toward crystallization in subsequent thermal treatment processes, is met according to the invention in an alkali-containing aluminoborosilicate glass for the production of optical components with refractive index gradients generated by ion exchange of monovalent, refractive index-changing metal ions in a base glass of SiO, AlO, a metal-(III)-oxide (of B and/or Ga) and at least one metal-(I)-oxide (of Li, Na, K and/or Rb) in that defined molar ratios of metal-(III)-oxides to the metal-(I)-oxides of the base glass are adjusted within a given range in order to appreciably reduce the tendency toward crystallization of the glass for subsequent thermal treatment processes. Point defects caused by crystallites in the GRIN lenses produced in this manner are drastically reduced in this way.

Growing community of inventors

Jena, Germany

Sandra Hornschuh