Claims
- 1. A method of forming polarizing and non-polarizing regions in a glass comprising a reducible elongated phase, said method comprising the steps of:a) depositing, by a method selected from the group consisting of sputtering, thermal evaporation, and chemical vapor deposition, a layer of reducing gas-blocking material selected from the group consisting of dense metal, and metal oxide on a surface region of said glass for protecting portions of said surface region of said glass from a reducing gas; b) exposing said glass to a reducing gas atmosphere to polarize the portion of said glass not protected be said layer of reducing gas-blocking material; and, c) removing said layer of reducing gas-blocking material to reveal the underlying non-polarizing region; whereby regions not protected by said reducing gas-blocking material are rendered polarizing.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the following steps carried out prior to exposing the glass to the reducing gas atmosphere:d) applying a layer of photoresist on a surface of said layer of reducing gas-blocking material; e) patterning and developing said layer of photoresist to obtain a pattern of said photoresist, wherein said patterning step is achieved by photolithography; and f) transferring said pattern of said photoresist into said layer of reducing gas-blocking material, wherein said transferring step is achieved by an etching process.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said reducing gas atmosphere comprises a reducing gas at a temperature of about 350° C. to 425° C. and a pressure in the range of 1 to 200 atm.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said reducing gas is selected from the group consisting of H2, D2, cracked ammonia, and forming gas.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said dense metal is selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mo, Ta, W, Zn, Au, Rh, Pd, Pt, and Ir.
- 6. The method of claim 4, wherein said metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of the oxides of Cr, Mo, Ta, W, Zn, Au, Rh, Pd, Pt, and Ir.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said layer of reducing gas-blocking material is deposited through a shadow mask.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said reducing gas atmosphere comprises a reducing gas at a temperature of about 350° C. to 415° C. and a pressure in the range of 1 to 5 atm.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said layer of reducing gas-blocking material has a thickness in a range of about 0.4 to 1.0 μm.
- 10. The method of claim 2, wherein said reducing gas atmosphere comprises a reducing gas at a temperature of about 350° C. to 425° C. and a pressure in the range of 1 to 200 atm.
- 11. The method of claim 2, wherein said reducing gas atmosphere comprises a reducing gas at a temperature of about 350° C. to 415° C. and a pressure in the range of 1 to 5 atm.
- 12. The method of claim 2, wherein said layer of reducing gas-blocking material has a thickness in a range of about 0.4 to 1.0 μm.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/014,619, filed Mar. 28, 1996.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
102e Date |
371c Date |
PCT/US97/04870 |
|
WO |
00 |
5/21/1999 |
5/21/1999 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO97/35812 |
10/2/1997 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (19)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
11-194218 |
Jul 1999 |
JP |
9847832 |
Oct 1998 |
WO |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/014619 |
Mar 1996 |
US |