Fabrication of Ag-doped polarizing glass by a sol-gel method

A new method, extrusion after a sol-gel process, is put forward for fabricating Ag-cloped polarizing glass, which has some special opt ca characteristics according to the size and shape of the silver particles in the glass. The results of x-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis show that the glass from the gel had a similar structure to that from quenching from a melt. Experiments on heat treatment showed that to get a suitable size of silver particles the glass should be held 0.5 h at 630degreesC and the time at temperatures above 500degreesC should be controlled. From scanning electron microscopy and absorption spectra it can be concluded that the elongated silver particles have been produced and the polarizing property has been achieved in the wavelength range from 850 to 1100 nm after extrusion. The silver particles were formed, not just on the surface, but almost throughout the glass, indicating that this new method is an easy way to produce Ag-cloped polarizing glass. (C) 2003 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.