The present invention provides an infrared-transmitting glass that is a chalcogenide glass, has a reduced Ge content, can sufficiently cover atmospheric windows, is free from highly toxic elements, such as Se and As, and is suitable for mold forming. Specifically, the present invention provides an infrared-transmitting glass suitable for mold forming, comprising, in terms of molar concentration: 0 to 2% of Ge, 3 to 30% of Ga, 10 to 40% of Sb, 45 to 70% of S, 3 to 30% of at least one member selected from the group consisting of Sn, Ag, Cu, Te, and Cs, and 0 to 30% of at least one member selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, and I.

A method for preparing a sulfide solid electrolyte material exhibiting Li ion conductivity. The sulfide solid electrolyte material contains an organic compound having a molecular weight within a range of 30 to 300, and the organic compound is present in an amount of 0.8 wt % or less. The method includes: (i) performing mechanical milling to a mixture of a raw material composition and the organic compound to convert the raw material composition to an amorphous state, thereby synthesizing a sulfide glass; and (ii) drying the sulfide glass such that at least some of the organic compound remains in the sulfide solid electrolyte material.

The invention relates to chalcogenide glass compositions for use in a lens system to balance thermal effects and chromatic effects and thereby provide an achromatic and athermal optical element that efficiently maintains achromatic performance across a broad temperature range. The glass composition is based on sulfur compounded with germanium, arsenic and/or gallium, and may further comprise halides of, for example, silver, zinc, or alkali metals. Alternatively, is based on selenium compounded with gallium, and preferably germanium, and contains chlorides and/or bromides of, for example, zinc, lead or alkali metals.

There is provided an optical glass having high infrared transmittance and being useful as an on-vehicle infrared sensor and the like. An optical glass including, in expression of atomic %: Ge+Ga; 6% to 30%; S+Se+Te; 50% to 85%; and Ti; 0.001% to 0.5%, wherein a wavelength (.sub.T10%) at a long-wavelength side end in which infrared transmittance in a glass plate of the optical glass converted to a thickness of 1 mm becomes 10% is 12 m or more.

Provided is a method for manufacturing an infrared-transmissive lens having an excellent surface quality. A method for manufacturing an infrared-transmissive lens includes firing a preform of a chalcogenide glass in an inert gas atmosphere to obtain a fired body and then subjecting the fired body to hot press molding.

A metal element-containing sulfide solid electrolyte may have an effect of suppressing hydrogen sulfide generation and may express excellent working environments. Such a metal element-containing sulfide solid electrolyte may contain a lithium element, a sulfur element, a phosphorus element, a halogen element, and at least one metal element selected from metal elements of Groups 2 to 12 and Period 4 or higher of the Periodic Table, in which the molar ratio of the lithium element to the phosphorus element (Li/P) is 2.4 or more and 12 or less, and the molar ratio of the sulfur element to the phosphorus element (S/P) is 3.7 or more and 12 or less.

The present invention aims to provide a vehicular exterior member that is excellent in strength and cost, and sufficiently ensures a viewing field of sharpness of a thermal image obtained by a far-infrared camera. A vehicular exterior member that includes a light blocking region and is configured to be attached to a vehicle equipped with a far-infrared camera. The vehicular exterior member further includes, in the light blocking region, a far-infrared ray transmitting region having an opening and a far-infrared ray transmitting member disposed in the opening. An average transmittance of far-infrared rays having a wavelength ranging from 8 to 13 ?m of the far-infrared ray transmitting member is equal to or larger than 25%. A length of the longest straight line in straight lines connecting any desired two points on a surface on a vehicle exterior side of the far-infrared ray transmitting member is equal to or smaller than 80 mm. A diameter of the largest circle in circles formed in a projected shape obtained by projecting the far-infrared ray transmitting member in an optical axis direction of the far-infrared camera is equal to or larger than 12 mm. An average thickness of the far-infrared ray transmitting member is equal to or larger than 1.5 mm.

A sulfide solid electrolyte material exhibiting Li ion conductivity contains an organic compound having a molecular weight within a range of 30 to 300, wherein the organic compound has a content of 0.8 wt % or less.

A glass composition and a method for producing the glass composition having an improved infrared transmission are provided. The composition includes indium and or cadmium; germanium; phosphorus, arsenic, and/or antimony; silver; lead; and sulfur, selenium, and/or tellurium. The method is performed by melting a mixture for a time period of between about 5 to about 48 hours and mixing the mixture at a temperature range that is between about 600-1000 C.

Gradient refractive index (GRIN) materials can include multi-phase composites having substances with differing refractive indices disposed non-uniformly within one another. Particular glass composites having a gradient index of refraction can include: an amorphous phase, and a phase-separated region disposed non-uniformly within the amorphous phase. The glass composites include a mixture containing: GeZ.sub.2 and A.sub.2Z.sub.3 in a combined molar ratio of about 60% to about 95%, and CsX and PbZ in a combined molar ratio of about 5% to about 40%, where A is As, Sb or Ga, X is Cl, Br or I, and Z is S or Se. When A is As, the glass composites include PbZ in a molar ratio of about 15% or less. The amorphous phase and the phase-separated region have refractive indices that differ from one another. More particularly, A is Ga or As, X is Cl, and Z is Se.