Chalcogenide Glasses for Infrared Optics

Cutting-edge techniques for yielding high-quality chalcogenide glassesThis pioneering work describes the technology, developed over a 50-year period, to utilize chalcogenide glasses as infrared optical materials. Methods for qualitatively identifying chalcogenide glass compositions and producing high-purity homogeneous glass are discussed.Chalcogenide Glasses for Infrared Optics includes unique production techniques developed through the author's work at both Texas Instruments (TI) and Amorphous Materials, Inc. (AMI). The production of vacuum float zoned silicon, gallium arsenide, and cadmium telluride, all useful in infrared technology, is explained. The book highlights examples of how glass composition can be changed to enhance a particular property.Coverage includes: Transmission of light by solidsPhysical properties of chalcogenide glassesGlass productionCareful characterization of glass propertiesConventional lens fabrication--spherical surfacesMolding of unconventional aspheric lenses with diffractive surfacesGlass processes for other applicationsIR imaging bundles made from chalcogenide glass fibersProduction of infrared crystalline materials at AMIDevelopment of an automatic ellipsometer system at TI