Partially modified photosensitive monolithic glass apparatus

Abstract

A partially modified photosensitive monolithic oxide glass apparatus formed through photolithographic imaging. The apparatus may be either a volume apparatus or a layer apparatus. Both types of apparatus may be used to diffuse light in predetermined directions or shapes. The monolithic oxide glass apparatus is capable of withstanding temperatures well beyond glass transition temperatures of plastic light shaping devices and can be formed in convex or concave surfaces through conventionally molding grinding or polishing techniques and can be coated by hot-coating techniques.

34 . A method of making an apparatus comprising: 
 (A) forming a monolithic oxide glass, said monolithic oxide glass including a photosensitizer and a sol-gel material; and, (B) recording predetermined shapes in the monolithic oxide glass by exposing selected portions of the photosensitive monolithic oxide glass to light to form a metal oxide in the exposed portions wherein said metal oxide binds irreversibly with the monolithic oxide glass.    
   
   
       35 . A method of making an apparatus comprising: 
 (A) preparing a sol-gel solution of a metal oxide, water, solvent and photosensitizer;    (B) causing the solution to undergo a sol-to-gel transition;    (C) placing a mask over the material, the mask bearing predetermined shapes;    (D) exposing portions of the material to light to form metal oxide in exposed portions of the film layer which binds irreversibly to the glass in the material;    (E) aging the gel to form a porous glass; and    (F) heat treating the porous glass to form non-porous consolidated glass.    
   
   
       36 . A method of making an apparatus comprising: 
 (A) preparing a solution of sol-gel material from a metal alkoxide, water, and a solvent;    (B) forming a monolithic oxide glass through the steps including; 
 (1) casting the solution into a casting mold;  
 (2) causing the solution in the mold to undergo a sol-to-gel transition to form a gel;  
 (3) applying a photosensitizer to the sol-gel material;  
   (C) recording predetermined shapes on at least one surface of the sol-gel material through the process of exposing selected portions of the photosensitized glass to light to form a metal oxide in the exposed portions of the sol-gel material which bind irreversibly with the glass;    (D) aging the gel to form a porous glass; and    (E) heat treating the porous glass to form non-porous, consolidated glass.    
   
   
       37 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a photosensitizer containing sol-gel material partially modified with photolithographic imaging including; 
 a) at least one unmodified portion; and,  
 b) at least one modified portion having an index of refraction different from the index of refraction of said unmodified portion.  
   
   
   
       38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the photosensitizer is selected from the consisting of trimethyltiniodine, titanocene, and ironpentacarbonyl.  
   
   
       39 . A method of forming an apparatus comprising: 
 (A) forming a photosensitive material, said material comprising a photosensitizer and sol-gel;    (B) exposing said material through a mask to a light of a wavelength for a time sufficient to modify the exposed portion of the material through the formation of metal oxide; (C) heating said modified material at a first temperature for a time sufficient to bind said metal oxide to said material and to drive off remaining photosensitizer;    (D) heating to a second temperature higher than said first temperature for a time sufficient to unbind and drive off unbound organic constituents of said sol-gel.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the forming step comprises mixing the photosensitizer in stoichiometric amounts with the sol-gel precursors during preparation of the solution.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 39  wherein, forming step further comprises depositing photosensitizer onto the sol-gel after the sol-gel material is aged.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the photosensitizer is trimethyltiniodine.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the light has a wavelength of 250 nm.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the photosensitizer is titanocene.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the light has a wavelength of 514 nm.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the photosensitizer is ironpentacarbonyl.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the light has a wavelength of 365 nm.  
   
   
       48 . An apparatus comprising: 
 A photosensitive monolithic oxide glass layer derived from sol-gel glass material including, R-M-X inclusions where X is a photolabile moiety, M is a metal, and R is a volatile organic compound.    
   
   
       49 . An apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a substrate; and,    (b) a monolithic oxide glass layer applied to said substrate, said layer including at least one region of Si—O-M-O—Si with adjacent regions of SiO 2 .