US5064684A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Waveguides, interferometers, and methods of their formation
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1989-08-02
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Granted: 1991-11-12
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Expires: 2009-08-02
Abstract
Abstract The invention generally is accomplished by a casting of a liquid metallo-organic ceramic precursor solution to form a layer on a substrate. This layer is then heated to a low temperature to create an amorphous layer. Then a selected area is heated to a high temperature by localized heating to create a patterned area of polycrystalline ceramic having electro-optic properties.
Inventors
- 👤 Jose M. Mir
- 👤 John A. Agostinelli
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 19:56
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B41/00; C04B41/80; C04B41/81; C04B41/89; C03; C03C; C03C17/00; C03C17/22; C03C17/23; C03C17/25; C04B41/45; C04B41/50; C04B41/5025; C04B41/5041; C04B41/52; C04B41/85; C04B41/87; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/02; C23C18/06; C23C18/12; C23C18/1204; C23C18/1208; C23C18/125; C23C18/1295; C23C18/14; C23C18/143; C03C2217/00; C03C2217/20; C03C2217/21; C03C2217/23; C03C2218/00; C03C2218/10; C03C2218/11; C03C2218/113; C03C2218/30; C03C2218/32; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/03; G02F1/055; G02F1/0553; G02F1/21; G02F1/212
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
48 words
A method of forming a crystalline ceramic comprising casting a layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor of electro-optic, ferroelectric or piezoelectric material onto a base and performing a localized heating of a portion of said layer with a heated imprinting tool to create a patterned area of crystalline ceramic.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
48 words
A method of forming a crystalline ceramic comprising casting a layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor of electro-optic, ferroelectric or piezoelectric material onto a base and performing a localized heating of a portion of said layer with a heated imprinting tool to create a patterned area of crystalline ceramic.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said layer is heated to create an amorphous substantially inorganic ceramic prior to said localized heating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said localized heating changes said portion of said amorphous ceramic to polycrystalline ceramic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said heating to create said amorphous ceramic is in a pattern.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the layer portion not in the pattern of amorphous ceramic is removed and the said pattern of amorphous ceramic is subjected to heating to create said electro-optic polycrystalline ceramic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the removed non-pattern portion is removed by a solvent solution.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3 wherein prior to said heating of a portion a material which can reactively in-diffuse a lead specie to form a crystalline electro-optic material is coated onto said layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 wherein during said heating of a portion, said electro-optic in-diffusion material combines with said layer to form electro-optic material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said amorphous ceramic forms an optical waveguide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said heating of a portion forms an electro-optic waveguide in a pattern.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said polycrystalline ceramic consists essentially of one or a mixture of lanthanum modified lead zirconate titanate, lead zirconate titanate, lead lanthanum titanate, barium lanthanum titanium niobate, barium titanate, lithium niobate, or lithium tantalate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said base material is selected from the group consisting essentially of fused quartz, sapphire, magnesium oxide, and strontium titanate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said metallo-organic materials comprise metal carboxylates dissolved in a solvent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said casting comprises spin-coating.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein prior to casting of the layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor a dielectric layer is formed on said base.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said dielectric layer comprises silicon nitride.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the material forming said dielectric layer is selected from the group consisting essentially of Si 3 N 4 , SiO 2 , Ta 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , and mixtures thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said polycrystalline ceramic comprises lead zirconium titanate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said base comprises silicon or gallium arsenide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said base comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fused quartz, sapphire, magnesium oxide, and strontium titanate.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of forming a crystalline ceramic comprising casting a layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor of electro-optic, ferroelectric or piezoelectric material onto a base, heating said layer of precursor to decompose said precursor to form an amorphous ceramic layer, partially overcoating the amorphous ceramic layer with a barrier layer thereby forming a diffusion mask and treating in a gaseous atmosphere of reactive lead containing vapor in-diffusion agent to create crystalline ceramic in areas not overcoated with said diffusion mask.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of forming a crystalline ceramic comprising casting a layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor of electro-optic, ferroelectric or piezoelectric material onto a base, heating said layer of precursor to decompose said precursor to form an amorphous ceramic layer, partially overcoating the amorphous ceramic layer with a barrier layer thereby forming a diffusion mask and treating in a gaseous atmosphere of reactive lead containing vapor in-diffusion agent to create crystalline ceramic in areas not overcoated with said diffusion mask.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said in-diffusion agent changes at least a portion of said amorphous ceramic to crystalline ceramic.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said partial overcoating is in a pattern.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the layer portion not coated with said barrier layer is removed after said treating in a gaseous atmosphere.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the removed non-pattern portion is removed by a solvent solution.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 22 wherein prior to said treating in a gaseous atmosphere a material which can reactively in-diffuse a lead specie to form a crystalline electro-optic material is coated onto said layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 26 wherein during said treating in a gaseous atmosphere said in-diffusion material combines with said layer to form electro-optic material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said amorphous ceramic forms an optical waveguide.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 22 wherein the vapor treatment of portion forms an electro-optic waveguide in a pattern.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said crystalline ceramic consists essentially of one or a mixture of lanthanum modified lead zirconate titanate, lead zirconate titanate, lead lanthanum titanate, barium lanthanum titanium niobate, barium titanate, lithium niobate, or lithium tantalate.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said base material is selected from the group consisting essentially of fused quartz, sapphire, magnesium oxide, and strontium titanate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said metallic-organo materials comprise metal carboxylates dissolved in a solvent.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said casting comprises spin-coating.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 21 wherein prior to casting of the layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor a dielectric layer is formed on said base.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 34 wherein said dielectric layer comprises silicon nitride.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 34 wherein the material forming said dielectric layer is selected from the group consisting essentially of Si 3 N 4 , SiO 2 , Ta 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , and mixtures thereof.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 34 wherein said polycrystalline ceramic comprises lead zirconium titanate.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 34 wherein said base comprises silicon or gallium arsenide.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of forming a crystalline ceramic comprising casting a layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor of electro-optic, ferroelectric or piezoelectric material onto a base, heating said layer to create an amorphous substantially inorganic ceramic, depositing a pattern of areas of indiffusion material, and heating said amorphous layer and indiffusion material to create areas of electro-optic, ferroelectric, or piezoelectric crystalline ceramic in the pattern of said indiffusion materials.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of forming a crystalline ceramic comprising casting a layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor of electro-optic, ferroelectric or piezoelectric material onto a base, heating said layer to create an amorphous substantially inorganic ceramic, depositing a pattern of areas of indiffusion material, and heating said amorphous layer and indiffusion material to create areas of electro-optic, ferroelectric, or piezoelectric crystalline ceramic in the pattern of said indiffusion materials.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 39 wherein the removed non-pattern portion is removed by a solvent solution.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 39 wherein said metallo-organic materials comprise metal carboxylates dissolved in a solvent.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 39 wherein said casting comprises spin-coating.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 39 wherein said crystalline ceramic consists essentially of one or a mixture of lanthanum modified lead zirconate titanate, lead zirconate titanate, lead lanthanum titanate, barium lanthanum titanium niobate, barium titanate, lithium niobate, or lithium tantalate.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 39 wherein said base material is selected from the group consisting essentially of fused quartz, sapphire, magnesium oxide, and strontium titanate.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of forming a ceramic comprising casting a layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor of electro-optic, ferroelectric or piezoelectric material onto a base, heating the precursor layer to form an amorphous layer, and then performing a localized patterned heating of a portion of said amorphous layer to create a patterned area of electro-optic waveguide or ferroelectric ceramic.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
57 words
A method of forming a ceramic comprising casting a layer of metallo-organic ceramic precursor of electro-optic, ferroelectric or piezoelectric material onto a base, heating the precursor layer to form an amorphous layer, and then performing a localized patterned heating of a portion of said amorphous layer to create a patterned area of electro-optic waveguide or ferroelectric ceramic.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 45 wherein said localized heating is accomplished with a laser.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 45 wherein the localized heating is in a pattern.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 45 wherein said crystalline ceramic consists essentially of one or a mixture of lanthanum modified lead zirconate titanate, lead zirconate titanate, lead lanthanum titanate, barium lanthanum titanium niobate, barium titanate, lithium niobate, or lithium tantalate.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 48 wherein said base material is selected from the group consisting essentially of fused quartz, sapphire, magnesium oxide, and strontium titanate.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 45 wherein said metallo-organic materials comprise metal carboxylates dissolved in a solvent.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 45 wherein said casting comprises spin-coating.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-11-11 | 1995-05-13 | 1995-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-11-11 | 1999-05-13 | 1999-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-11-11 | 2003-05-13 | 2003-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |