Sol-gel bonding

A method of constructing an article, the method comprising bonding a preexisting first surface formed of a predetermined material to a preexisting second surface substantially conforming to the first surface by the steps of:

• constructing a mandrel having a surface portion substantially conforming to said first surface;
• depositing a coating on said surface portion of said mandrel so that said second surface is formed on said coating oppositely of said mandrel, said coating being deposited in a predetermined manner having conditions damaging to said predetermined material;
• preparing a solution containing a precursor for a sol-gel, said sol-gel being sinterable without damage to said predetermined material to form a bonding material attached to said surfaces when said sol-gel is sintered in contact with said surfaces;
• applying said solution to at least one of said surfaces;
• juxtapositioning said surfaces so that said solution contacts both of said surfaces with subsequent formation of said sol-gel between said surfaces;
• and
• sintering said sol-gel so that said sol-gel forms a layer of said bonding material bonding said surfaces together.

A method of constructing an article, the method comprising bonding a preexisting first surface formed of a predetermined material to a preexisting second surface substantially conforming to the first surface and formed of diamond by the steps of:

• preparing a solution containing a precursor for a sol-gel, said sol-gel being sinterable without damage to said predetermined material to form a bonding material attached to
• said surfaces when said sol-gel is sintered in contact with said surfaces;
• applying said solution to at least one of said surfaces;
• juxtapositioning said surfaces so that said solution contacts both of said surfaces with subsequent formation of said sol-gel between said surfaces;
• and
• sintering said sol-gel so that said sol-gel forms a layer of said bonding material bonding said surfaces together.

A method of constructing an article from a preexisting first surface formed of a first predetermined material and from a preexisting second surface formed of a second predetermined material and substantially conforming to the first surface, said first material and said second material having respective and predetermined indices of refraction, and the method comprising bonding said surfaces by the steps of:

• preparing a solution containing a precursor for a sol-gel, said sol-gel being sinterable without damage to said predetermined material to form a layer of bonding material attached to said surfaces when said sol-gel is sintered in contact with said surfaces, it being desired that said layer of said bonding material have a predetermined index of refraction relative to said indices of refraction, and said solution having a composition selected so that said bonding material has said predetermined index of refraction;
• applying said solution to at least one of said surfaces;
• juxtapositioning said surfaces so that said solution contacts both of said surfaces with subsequent formation of said sol-gel between said surfaces;
• and
• sintering said sol-gel so that said sol-gel forms a layer of said bonding material having said predetermined index of refraction and bonding said surfaces together.

A method of constructing an article from a preexisting first surface formed of a first predetermined material and from a preexisting second surface formed of a second predetermined material and substantially conforming to the first surface, said first material and said second material each being selected from a group consisting of glasses, ceramics, and metals and at least one of said predetermined materials being a metal deposited by sputtering, the method comprising bonding said surfaces by the steps of:

• preparing a solution containing a precursor for a sol-gel, said sol-gel being sinterable without damage to said predetermined material to form a bonding material attached to said surfaces when said sol-gel is sintered in contact with said surfaces;
• applying said solution to at least one of said surfaces;
• juxapositioning said surfaces so that said solution contacts both of said surfaces with subsequent formation of said sol-gel between said surfaces;
• and
• sintering said sol-gel so that said sol-gel forms a layer of said bonding material bonding said surfaces together.

A method of providing a coating of a first material for a surface portion of an article, said surface portion having a predetermined shape and being constructed of a second material damageable by deposition of said first material in a predetermined manner, the method comprising:

• constructing a mandrel having a surface portion conforming to said shape, said mandrel being constructed from a third material undamaged by deposition of said first material on said third material in said predetermined manner;
• depositing said coating on said mandrel in said predetermined manner;
• preparing a solution containing a precursor for a sol-gel, said sol-gel being sinterable without damage to said first material and said second material to form a fourth material which bonds to said first material and to said second material when said sol-gel is sintered in contact with said first material and said second material;
• applying said solution to at least one of said surface portions;
• urging said mandrel and said article together so that said solution contacts both of said surface portions and said sol-gel forms from said precursor and between said surface portions;
• sintering said sol-gel so that said sol-gel forms a layer of said fourth material extending between and in bonding relation to said surface portions;
• and
• removing said third material from said first material so that said first material remains in bonded relation to said surface portion of said article as said coating.