346results about How to "Lower refractive index" patented technology

This invention provides composite materials comprising nanostructures (e.g., nanowires, branched nanowires, nanotetrapods, nanocrystals, and nanoparticles). Methods and compositions for making such nanocomposites are also provided, as are articles comprising such composites. Waveguides and light concentrators comprising nanostructures (not necessarily as part of a nanocomposite) are additional features of the invention.

An optical fiber is disclosed that can be used as an active medium in fiber lasers and/or fiber amplifiers, featuring a preferably rare-earth-doped silica active core surrounded by a pure or doped silica cladding layer ("pump core"). The pump core is surrounded by a doped or pure silica inner cladding for guiding pumping radiation within the pump core. Thus, the refractive index of the inner cladding is lower than that of the pump core. The fiber is surrounded by a protective coating made of polymeric material. One or more additional outer cladding layers, having refractive indexes lower than said inner cladding, may optionally be placed between the inner cladding and the protective coating to further protect the polymer coating from damage. Unlike the prior art, the protective coating does not serve as the only cladding, but is assisted by the inner cladding and optional outer cladding(s). The resultant fiber restricts radiation mainly to silica layers, thereby increasing the damage threshold and the applicable maximum pump power of the fiber.

The present invention provide a coating material composition comprising at least fine hollow particles and a matrix-forming material, wherein when the coating material composition is applied and dried to form a coating film having a low refractive index, the matrix-forming material forms a porous matrix.

Provided is a film having a low refractive index, which can be formed under normal temperature and pressure while obtaining a lower refractive index, has excellent adhesion with a solid substrate, and does not lose geometric optical properties, such as the diffusibility or light-harvesting capability attributed to the microstructure. Also disclosed is a method for producing the same. The film having a low refractive index is obtained by causing an electrolyte polymer and microparticles to be alternately adsorbed on the surface of a solid substrate and bringing the resulting microparticle-laminated film into contact with a silicon compound solution in order to bond the solid substrate with microparticles and microparticles with microparticles. The silicon compound solution is selected from (1) the hydrolysis product of alkoxysilane (I) wherein the functional groups are formed from hydrolyzable groups and non-hydrolyzable organic groups, and the condensation reaction product thereof, (2) the hydrolysis product of a mixture of alkoxysilane (I) and alkoxysilane (II) wherein the functional groups are formed from hydrolyzable groups alone, and the condensation reaction product thereof; and (3) a mixture of hydrolysis product and condensation product thereof according to (1) and alkoxysilane (II).

A saturable absorber (SA) is constructed using a fiber taper embedded in a carbon nanotube/polymer composite. A fiber taper is made by heating and pulling a small part of standard optical fiber. At the taper's waist light is guided by the glass-air interface, with an evanescent field protruding out of the taper. Carbon nanotubes mixed with an appropriate polymer host material are then wrapped around the fiber taper to interact with the evanescent field. Saturable absorption is possible due to the unique optical properties of the carbon nanotubes. The device can be used in mode-locked lasers where it initiates and stabilizes the pulses circulating around the laser cavity. The SA can be used in various laser cavities, and can enable different pulse evolutions such as solitons, self-similar pulses and dissipative solitons. Other applications include but are not limited to optical switching, pulse cleanup and pulse compression.

A device with chemical surface patterns (defined surface areas of at least two different chemical compositions) with biochemical or biological relevance on substrates with prefabricated patterns of at least two different types of regions (α, β, . . . ), whereas at least two different, consecutively applied molecular self-assembly systems (A, B, . . . ) are used in a way that at least one of the applied assembly systems (A or B or . . . ) is specific to one type of the prefabricated patterns (α or β or . . . ).

An active matrix type organic light emitting diode display serving as a bottom emission type device coupling out emission of an organic electroluminescence layer from a substrate where thin film transistors are formed or as a top emission type device coupling out the emission on the opposite side to the substrate. In a suitable layer (102, 106, 107) in each device, an insulating film containing SiO is formed. The insulating film is porous with nano pores in the film. The porous insulating film is controlled as to film density, film refractive index, nano pore diameter in film, average nano pore diameter in film and maximum nano pore diameter in film so that the refractive index is lower than that of a transparent electrode or a transparent substrate of the display holding the organic electroluminescence layer therebetween, and nano pores are present in the film. Light scattering effect can be obtained so that emission from the organic electroluminescence layer (110) can be coupled out to the outside efficiently.

A method is presented for the vapor deposition of a material film upon a substrate. The method comprises the use of a Jet Vapor Deposition process with a vaporized polymer gas flowing at supersonic velocity. The vaporized polymer gas consists of a carrier gas and a vaporized polymer, such as Parylene. The vaporized polymer gas impinges upon the substrate through a port and forms the material film.

The invention relates to an infra-red reflecting layered structure comprising a transparent substrate layer; a first metal oxide layer; a first silver containing layer, a second metal oxide layer; a second silver containing layer and a third metal oxide layer. The first, second and third metal oxide layer have a refractive index of at least 2.40 at a wavelength of 500 nm. The layered structure according to the present invention laminated on glass has a visual light transmittance (VLT) higher than 70% and a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) lower than 0.44. The invention further relates to the use of a layered structure as a transparent heat-mirror.

The optical sensor of the present invention detects both the existence and concentration of substances by changing from light leakage mode to wave guide mode when the sensor is exposed to the substances to be detected. The changes in the mode results in a large change in optical output. This change is measured and the substance is identified and/or measured with high sensitivity.The change in light leakage mode to wave guide mode of the sensor is possible by having a clad material around the core material, with the clad material decreasing in the index of refraction when exposed to the substance to be detected. When the index of refraction of the clad becomes less than that of the core material, the sensor changes from the light leakage mode and operates in the wave guide mode. Changes in light intensity output from the sensor is measured over time, and correlated to the substance to be detected.