The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 21, 1995
Filed:
Aug. 23, 1993
Thomas K Dougherty, Playa Del Rey, CA (US);
William E Elias, El Segundo, CA (US);
Alan R Kost, Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Marvin B Klein, Pacific Palisades, CA (US);
Hughes Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
An improved process is provided for making optical limiters having a graded axial distribution of a reverse saturable absorber compound, such as a buckminsterfullerene, in a host matrix, such as polymethyl methacrylate or polycarbonate. The process of the invention includes: (a) dissolving the reverse saturable absorber and the host matrix in a suitable solvent to form a solution having a preselected ratio of reverse saturable absorber to host matrix; (b) casting the solution onto a surface to form a film; (c) evaporating the solvent to form a free-standing film; (d) performing steps (a)-(c) for each different desired ratio of reverse saturable absorber to host matrix; (e) stacking the free-standing films in a desired order; and (f) hot-pressing the stack to form the optical limiter having a graded distribution of the reverse saturable absorber in the host matrix. If desired, the stack of films can be placed in a die for hot-pressing. The films can be pre-cut to the shape of the die.