INTEGRAL OPTICAL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING OPTICAL PATTERN IN GLASS

An integral optical device composed of a porous glass body having an optical pattern formed in one or more selected zones of the body by photolysis of an organometallic compound in the pores of those zones, characterised in that the porous glass is impregnated with a polymerizable, organo-functional silicone fluid that is substantially polymerized only in the one or more zones forming the optical pattern is disclosed. A method of producing such an optical device comprising a porous glass body with a photolyzable organometallic compound; exposing the impregnated body to a source of photolyzing radiation that is patterned selectively to expose certain portions of the body and at least partially photolytically to convert the organometallic compound in those portions to photolyzed intermediates that are stable in the glass; and removing that portion of the organometallic compound which is not photolytically converted in the unexposed zones to leave a porous glass matrix surrounding the patterned zones; characterised in that the optionally patterned, porous glass body is fully impregnated with a polymerizable, organo-functional silicone fluid and then the fluid in the patterned zones is substantially polymerized while the fluid in the porous matrix glass is maintained essentially unpolymerized is also disclosed. More generally, there is disclosed an improved integral optical device of the type produced by creating optical patterns in porous glass bodies, especially patterns involving gradient refractive index distributions. The optical strength of an element, such as a lens, in such an optical pattern is increased by treatment with a polymerizable organo-functional silicone fluid while the matrix glass is sealed.