Chalcogenide Glasses for Infrared Optics

Cutting-edge techniques for yielding high-quality chalcogenide glasses. This 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 solids; Physical properties of chalcogenide glasses; Glass production; Careful characterization of glass properties; Conventional lens fabrication--spherical surfaces; Molding of unconventional aspheric lenses with diffractive surfaces; Glass processes for other applications; IR imaging bundles made from chalcogenide glass fibers; Production of infrared crystalline materials at AMI; Development of an automatic ellipsometer system at TI