Composite optical and electro-optical devices

Abstract

A method of forming defect-free permanent bonds without the use of adhesives as well as devices formed by this method is disclosed. In general, the disclosed process allows similar or dissimilar crystalline, vitreous or dense polycrystalline ceramic, metallic or organic polymeric components to be first joined by optical contacting and then heat treated to stabilize the bond. The heat treatment can be performed at a low enough temperature to prevent interdiffusion between species, thus insuring that the bond is not subjected to excessive mechanical stresses and that the materials do not undergo phase changes. Therefore stable bonds can be formed using the disclosed process between materials of widely differing physical, mechanical, thermal, optical and electro-optical properties such as different hardness, chemical durability, mechanical strength, coefficients of thermal expansion, thermal conductivity, crystal structure, refractive indices, optical birefringence, nonlinear optical coefficients, electrical conductivity, or semiconducting properties.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.