An organic-inorganic composite, including: a discontinuous phase having a plurality of adjacent and similarly oriented fibers of an inorganic material; and a continuous organic phase having a thermoplastic polymer, such that the continuous organic phase surrounds the plurality of adjacent and similarly oriented fibers of the inorganic material, and the organic-inorganic composite is a plurality of adjacent and similarly oriented fibers of inorganic material contained within a similarly oriented host fiber of the thermoplastic polymer. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the composite.

A method for adjusting an etchability of a first borosilicate glass by heating the first borosilicate glass; combining the first borosilicate glass with a second borosilicate glass to form a composite; and etching the composite with an etchant. A material having a protrusive phase and a recessive phase, where the protrusive phase protrudes from the recessive phase to form a plurality of nanoscale surface features, and where the protrusive phase and the recessive phase have the same composition.

A method for adjusting an etchability of a first borosilicate glass by heating the first borosilicate glass; combining the first borosilicate glass with a second borosilicate glass to form a composite; and etching the composite with an etchant. A material having a protrusive phase and a recessive phase, where the protrusive phase protrudes from the recessive phase to form a plurality of nanoscale surface features, and where the protrusive phase and the recessive phase have the same composition.

A method for economically mass-producing thin plate-shaped microchannel plate, includes: coating the surface of one or more strands of microfiber with a predetermined diameter with a polysilazane or polysiloxane binder; winding one or more strands of binder-coated microfiber onto a bobbin to form a microfiber bundle; curing the binder while the shape of the microfiber bundle is fixed; and slicing the binder-cured microfiber bundle to manufacture the plate.

A method for economically mass-producing thin plate-shaped microchannel plate, includes: coating the surface of one or more strands of microfiber with a predetermined diameter with a polysilazane or polysiloxane binder; winding one or more strands of binder-coated microfiber onto a bobbin to form a microfiber bundle; curing the binder while the shape of the microfiber bundle is fixed; and slicing the binder-cured microfiber bundle to manufacture the plate.

A rod bundle includes a core-clad rod that includes a core rod and a cladding layer that covers the core rod, a plurality of first filling rods disposed around the core-clad rod to be in contact with the core-clad rod, and two second filling rods that are disposed opposite to each other and interposing the core-clad rod therebetween to be distant from the core-clad rod and form first spaces with the core-clad rod. The rod bundle also includes a pair of second spaces that are next to the core-clad rod are formed to interpose the core-clad rod therebetween in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the two second filling rods are opposite to each other and, in a transverse plane, an area of each of the first spaces is more than an area of each of second spaces.

A rod bundle includes a core-clad rod that includes a core rod and a cladding layer that covers the core rod, a plurality of first filling rods disposed around the core-clad rod to be in contact with the core-clad rod, and two second filling rods that are disposed opposite to each other and interposing the core-clad rod therebetween to be distant from the core-clad rod and form first spaces with the core-clad rod. The rod bundle also includes a pair of second spaces that are next to the core-clad rod are formed to interpose the core-clad rod therebetween in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the two second filling rods are opposite to each other and, in a transverse plane, an area of each of the first spaces is more than an area of each of second spaces.

A converter plate includes an array of optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other. The optical fibers have optical properties selected to convert light from a light-emitting diode entering the optical fibers from one end of the array of optical fibers to light of a different wavelength exiting the fibers from another end of the array of optical fibers. The optical properties of some of the optical fibers differ from the optical properties of others of the optical fibers such that the light exiting the some of the optical fibers has a wavelength different from that of the light exiting the others of the optical fibers. The converter plate is manufactured by providing the optical fibers and combining the optical fibers into a bundle, the optical fibers being arranged axially parallel to each other. The bundle of optical fibers is drawn to attenuate the bundle of fibers into a secondary fiber having a reduced cross section. The secondary fiber is wafered into a converter plate that includes an array of the optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other.

A converter plate includes an array of optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other. The optical fibers have optical properties selected to convert light from a light-emitting diode entering the optical fibers from one end of the array of optical fibers to light of a different wavelength exiting the fibers from another end of the array of optical fibers. The optical properties of some of the optical fibers differ from the optical properties of others of the optical fibers such that the light exiting the some of the optical fibers has a wavelength different from that of the light exiting the others of the optical fibers. The converter plate is manufactured by providing the optical fibers and combining the optical fibers into a bundle, the optical fibers being arranged axially parallel to each other. The bundle of optical fibers is drawn to attenuate the bundle of fibers into a secondary fiber having a reduced cross section. The secondary fiber is wafered into a converter plate that includes an array of the optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other.

A multicore optical fiber that includes: a core that is formed of silica glass doped with at least fluorine, the core having a relative refractive index difference with respect to a refractive index of silica as a reference being 0.30% to 0.10%; and a clad that is formed of silica glass doped with at least fluorine. The clad includes a first clad surrounding an outer periphery of the core and a second clad provided outside the first clad. A relative refractive index difference between the first clad and the core is 0.8% or more. A refractive index of the second clad is higher than a refractive index of the first clad and lower than a refractive index of the core.