A waveguide includes a body of material having a width, a thickness, and a length, where the width is orthogonal to the thickness, and the length is orthogonal to the thickness and the width. The material includes polycrystalline ceramic that is transmissive such that the body is configured as a waveguide. The thickness is no more than 5 millimeters and at least 20 nanometers, the width is greater than or equal to the thickness, and the length is at least 100 times greater than the width. The body of material has a granular profile such that grains of the material protrude generally outward from a surface of the body with a height of at least 25 nanometers and no more than 100 micrometers relative to recessed portions of the surface of the body at boundaries between the grains.

A waveguide includes a body of material having a width, a thickness, and a length, where the width is orthogonal to the thickness, and the length is orthogonal to the thickness and the width. The material includes polycrystalline ceramic that is transmissive such that the body is configured as a waveguide. The thickness is no more than 5 millimeters and at least 20 nanometers, the width is greater than or equal to the thickness, and the length is at least 100 times greater than the width. The body of material has a granular profile such that grains of the material protrude generally outward from a surface of the body with a height of at least 25 nanometers and no more than 100 micrometers relative to recessed portions of the surface of the body at boundaries between the grains.

A method for producing an output coupling element and an optoelectronic component are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes providing an inorganic dielectric element with a surface in a chamber, wherein the inorganic dielectric element rotates in the chamber during operation and providing a structuring agent comprising water and ozone and introducing the structuring agent into the chamber so that the structuring agent contacts the surface of the inorganic dielectric element and a roughening is produced in the surface, wherein the inorganic dielectric element comprises aluminum oxide.

An antimicrobial article having a substrate, and a coating on a surface of the substrate. The coating includes a silver-containing alkali silicate. The antimicrobial article has an antimicrobial efficacy of greater than or equal to about 90.0% according to EPA Test Method for Efficacy of Copper Alloy Surfaces as a Sanitizer. The coating may further include at least one of a boron-containing compound and an aluminum-containing compound. A method for forming antimicrobial articles includes coating a substrate with a mixture comprising an alkali silicate; curing the coating at a temperature from greater than or equal to about 300° C. to less than or equal to about 620° C. for a duration of greater than or equal to about 15 minutes to less than or equal to about 120 minutes; and contacting the coating with an antimicrobial medium comprising silver nitrate and an alkali nitrate.

An antimicrobial article having a substrate, and a coating on a surface of the substrate. The coating includes a silver-containing alkali silicate. The antimicrobial article has an antimicrobial efficacy of greater than or equal to about 90.0% according to EPA Test Method for Efficacy of Copper Alloy Surfaces as a Sanitizer. The coating may further include at least one of a boron-containing compound and an aluminum-containing compound. A method for forming antimicrobial articles includes coating a substrate with a mixture comprising an alkali silicate; curing the coating at a temperature from greater than or equal to about 300° C. to less than or equal to about 620° C. for a duration of greater than or equal to about 15 minutes to less than or equal to about 120 minutes; and contacting the coating with an antimicrobial medium comprising silver nitrate and an alkali nitrate.

An optical wavelength conversion member according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a ceramic sintered body, wherein the ceramic sintered body has a fluorescent phase containing, as a main. component, fluorescent crystal grains that generate fluorescence in response to incident light, and a translucent phase containing translucent crystal grains as a main component. The optical wavelength conversion member includes a metal layer having light reflectivity and provided on a side of the ceramic sintered body opposite the side on which the light is incident, and a dielectric multilayer film including dielectric layers having different optical refractive indices and provided between the ceramic sintered body and the metal layer.

An optical wavelength conversion member according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a ceramic sintered body, wherein the ceramic sintered body has a fluorescent phase containing, as a main. component, fluorescent crystal grains that generate fluorescence in response to incident light, and a translucent phase containing translucent crystal grains as a main component. The optical wavelength conversion member includes a metal layer having light reflectivity and provided on a side of the ceramic sintered body opposite the side on which the light is incident, and a dielectric multilayer film including dielectric layers having different optical refractive indices and provided between the ceramic sintered body and the metal layer.

A manufacturing line includes a tape of green material that is directed through a furnace so that the furnace burns off organic binder material and then partially sinters the tape without the use of a setter board. Sintered articles resulting from the manufacturing line may be thin with relatively large surface areas; and, while substantially unpolished, have few sintering-induced surface defects. Tension may be applied to the partially sintered tape as it passes through a second furnace on the manufacturing line to shape resulting sintered articles.

A manufacturing line includes a tape of green material that is directed through a furnace so that the furnace burns off organic binder material and then partially sinters the tape without the use of a setter board. Sintered articles resulting from the manufacturing line may be thin with relatively large surface areas; and, while substantially unpolished, have few sintering-induced surface defects. Tension may be applied to the partially sintered tape as it passes through a second furnace on the manufacturing line to shape resulting sintered articles.

A manufacturing line includes a tape of green material that is directed through a furnace so that the furnace burns off organic binder material and then partially sinters the tape without the use of a setter board. Sintered articles resulting from the manufacturing line may be thin with relatively large surface areas; and, while substantially unpolished, have few sintering-induced surface defects. Tension may be applied to the partially sintered tape as it passes through a second furnace on the manufacturing line to shape resulting sintered articles.