Provided herein are ionically conductive solid-state compositions that include ionically conductive inorganic particles in a matrix of an organic material. The resulting composite material has high ionic conductivity and mechanical properties that facilitate processing. In particular embodiments, the ionically conductive solid-state compositions are compliant and may be cast as films. In some embodiments of the present invention, solid-state electrolytes including the ionically conductive solid-state compositions are provided. In some embodiments of the present invention, electrodes including the ionically conductive solid-state compositions are provided. The present invention further includes embodiments that are directed to methods of manufacturing the ionically conductive solid-state compositions and batteries incorporating the ionically conductive solid-state compositions.

A battery includes a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte. The positive electrode active material contains a compound which has a crystal structure belonging to the space group FM3-M and which is represented by the following formula:

Li.sub.xMe.sub.yO.sub.F.sub.(1)

where Me is one or more selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Al, B, Ce, Si, Zr, Nb, Pr, Ti, W, Ge, Mo, Sn, Bi, Cu, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Y, Zn, Ga, Er, La, Sm, Yb, V and Cr and the conditions 1.7x2.2, 0.8y1.3, 12.5, and 0.52 are satisfied.

A contacted multilayer diffractive optical element having reduced wavelength dependency of diffraction efficiency, the contacted multilayer diffractive optical element facilitating processing in manufacture and being suitable for an infrared optical system, and an infrared optical system and an image pickup apparatus using the diffractive optical element. In order to achieve the above object, a contacted multilayer diffractive optical element comprises a first layer consisting of a first chalcogenide glass material and a second layer consisting of a second chalcogenide glass material, the first chalcogenide glass material and the second chalcogenide glass material satisfying a predetermined conditional expression and being in contact with and stacked on each other, and a diffraction grating structure in a surface of the contact therebetween, and an infrared optical system and an image pickup apparatus comprising the contacted multilayer diffractive optical element are provided.

Disclosed herein are seals for liquid-tight bonding of an optical window comprising a BiIn alloy. Also disclosed are optical cells comprising the BiIn alloy seals to provide a liquid-tight seal between a cell housing and a drilled optical window.

Disclosed herein are seals for liquid-tight bonding of an optical window comprising a BiIn alloy. Also disclosed are optical cells comprising the BiIn alloy seals to provide a liquid-tight seal between a cell housing and a drilled optical window.

The present invention discloses a method for preparing all-solid-state photonic crystal fiber preform by extrusion. Firstly, aligning the center of the first jacking end of the first jacking rod with the center of the core outlet mold. The adverse effect on this part of extruded core glass by oxygen or other impurities in air during the extrusion out of the core outlets can be avoided. The defects on the core glass surface and the cladding glass surface can be effectively removed, and the purity and quality of the core component in the obtained fiber preform can be improved.

A standalone lithium ion-conductive solid electrolyte including a freestanding inorganic vitreous sheet of sulfide-based lithium ion conducting glass is capable of high performance in a lithium metal battery by providing a high degree of lithium ion conductivity while being highly resistant to the initiation and/or propagation of lithium dendrites. Such an electrolyte is also itself manufacturable, and readily adaptable for battery cell and cell component manufacture, in a cost-effective, scalable manner.

A battery includes a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte. The positive electrode active material contains a compound which has a crystal structure belonging to the space group FM3-M and which is represented by the following formula:
Li.sub.xMe.sub.yO.sub.F.sub.(1)
where Me is one or more selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Al, B, Ce, Si, Zr, Nb, Pr, Ti, W, Ge, Mo, Sn, Bi, Cu, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Y, Zn, Ga, Er, La, Sm, Yb, V and Cr and the conditions 1.7x2.2, 0.8y1.3, 12.5, and 0.52 are satisfied.

Athermal glasses and athermal systems for infrared optical components and systems are disclosed.

A liquid crystal-based non-mechanical beam steering device that permits steering in the mid-wave infrared and has a chalcogenide waveguide. The waveguide core, the subcladding, or both comprise a chalcogenide glass. The liquid crystal-based non-mechanical beam steering device has a tapered subcladding and a liquid crystal layer.