A method of producing a hermetic package includes forming a first sealing material layer on a first glass substrate, and arranging a frame body having an opening on its top so that a bottom portion of the frame body and the first sealing material layer are in contact, followed by sealing the frame body and the first glass substrate with each other via the first sealing material layer. The method further includes forming a second sealing material layer on an upper edge portion of the frame body, housing, in the frame body, a member, and arranging a second glass substrate to be in contact with the second sealing material layer, followed by sealing the second glass substrate and the frame body with each other via the second sealing material layer by irradiating the second sealing material layer with laser light from a second glass substrate side.

An electronically active glass has the composition (T.sub.xO.sub.y).sub.z-(M.sub.uO.sub.v).sub.w(Na/LiBO.sub.2).sub.t wherein T is a transition metal selected from V and Mo, M is a metal selected from Ni, Co, Na, Al, Mn, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ti and mixtures thereof, x, y, u, and v are the stoichiometric coefficients resulting in a neutral compound, i.e. x=2y/(oxidation state of T) and u=2v/(oxidation state of M), z, w and t are weight-%, wherein z is 70-80, w is 0-20 t is 10-30, and the sum of z, w and t is 100 weight-%, in particular V.sub.2O.sub.5LiBO.sub.2 and V.sub.2O.sub.5NiOLiBO.sub.2.

An electronically active glass has the composition (T.sub.xO.sub.y).sub.z-(M.sub.uO.sub.v).sub.w(Na/LiBO.sub.2).sub.t wherein T is a transition metal selected from V and Mo, M is a metal selected from Ni, Co, Na, Al, Mn, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ti and mixtures thereof, x, y, u, and v are the stoichiometric coefficients resulting in a neutral compound, i.e. x=2y/(oxidation state of T) and u=2v/(oxidation state of M), z, w and t are weight-%, wherein z is 70-80, w is 0-20 t is 10-30, and the sum of z, w and t is 100 weight-%, in particular V.sub.2O.sub.5LiBO.sub.2 and V.sub.2O.sub.5NiOLiBO.sub.2.

A filler that can suppress thermal expansion of a glass composition with a small amount thereof added and is also excellent in terms of flowability when the glass composition is melted, and a glass composition containing the filler are provided. There is also provided a process for producing a hexagonal phosphate-based compound that can be suitably used as the filler using a simple, industrially advantageous method. The filler of the present invention contains a hexagonal phosphate-based compound that has a purity of 90% or higher and is represented by the following Formula 1, the filler having a content of an ionic compound that is no greater than 1.0 wt %,
K.sub.aZr.sub.b(PO.sub.4).sub.3(1) wherein, in Formula 1, a is a positive number of from 0.8 to 1.2 and b is a positive number satisfying a+4b=9.

A filler that can suppress thermal expansion of a glass composition with a small amount thereof added and is also excellent in terms of flowability when the glass composition is melted, and a glass composition containing the filler are provided. There is also provided a process for producing a hexagonal phosphate-based compound that can be suitably used as the filler using a simple, industrially advantageous method. The filler of the present invention contains a hexagonal phosphate-based compound that has a purity of 90% or higher and is represented by the following Formula 1, the filler having a content of an ionic compound that is no greater than 1.0 wt %,
K.sub.aZr.sub.b(PO.sub.4).sub.3(1) wherein, in Formula 1, a is a positive number of from 0.8 to 1.2 and b is a positive number satisfying a+4b=9.

Provided is a sealing material that easily converts laser light to thermal energy, exhibits satisfactory fluidity, and is conducive to a reduction in its melting point. The sealing material includes 54.9 vol % to 99.9 vol % of glass powder, 0 vol % to 45 vol % of refractory filler powder, and 0.1 vol % to 10 vol % of a laser absorbing material, in which the glass powder includes as a glass composition, in terms of the following oxides in mass %, 70% to 90% of Bi.sub.2O.sub.3, 2% to 12% of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 1% to 15% of ZnO, 0.2% to 15% of CuO+Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, and 0.1% to 20% of MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO.

Provided is a sealing material that easily converts laser light to thermal energy, exhibits satisfactory fluidity, and is conducive to a reduction in its melting point. The sealing material includes 54.9 vol % to 99.9 vol % of glass powder, 0 vol % to 45 vol % of refractory filler powder, and 0.1 vol % to 10 vol % of a laser absorbing material, in which the glass powder includes as a glass composition, in terms of the following oxides in mass %, 70% to 90% of Bi.sub.2O.sub.3, 2% to 12% of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 1% to 15% of ZnO, 0.2% to 15% of CuO+Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, and 0.1% to 20% of MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO.

Embodiments are directed to glass frits containing phosphors that can be used in LED lighting devices and for methods associated therewith for making the phosphor containing glass frit and their use in glass articles, for example, LED devices.

Embodiments are directed to glass frits containing phosphors that can be used in LED lighting devices and for methods associated therewith for making the phosphor containing glass frit and their use in glass articles, for example, LED devices.

The present disclosure provides a retroreflective glass bead that includes at least one high refractive oxide selected from the group consisting of TiO.sub.2, BaO, La.sub.2O and Bi.sub.2O.sub.3; and at least one additive selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, ZnO, ZrO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, K.sub.2O, Na.sub.2O, Li.sub.2O and SrO. The glass bead according to the present invention have excellent retroreflectivity according to optical properties and excellent durability and productivity due to a simple structure, and also can be produced in various colors due to high chemical stability. Thus, the retroreflective aggregate including the glass bead according to the present invention exhibits very high visibility under various circumstances such as rainy or dry conditions. In addition, the method of producing a glass bead according to the present invention can reduce manufacturing costs while ensuring excellent productivity.