A redrawing method for the production of thin glasses is provided that allows redraw of high refractive index optical glasses. The includes the steps of providing a vitreous preform with a mean width B, a mean thickness D, and a refractive index n.sub.D of at least 1.68 in a redrawing device, heating at least a part of the preform, redrawing of the preform to a thin glass with a mean width b and a mean thickness d. The heated part of the preform exhibits, for the duration of at most 30 minutes, a temperature above a lower limit of devitrification of the glass. The glass of the preform exhibits a dependence of the viscosity on the temperature, which is characterized by a mean decrease of the viscosity with increasing temperature in an viscosity range of 10.sup.8 to 10.sup.5 dPas of at least 3*10.sup.5 dPas/K.

An improved optical flow cell adapted for use in a flow cytometer for differentiating formed bodies (e.g., blood cells) in liquid suspensions. Preferably manufactured by assembling, aligning, and optically joining at least two elements made from transparent material, the improved flow cell has a seamless internal flow channel of preferably non-circular cross-section in a cylindrical first element through which prepared samples can be metered and an independent second element having an external envelope suited to acquisition of optical parameters from formed bodies in such suspensions, the second element being conforming and alignable to the first element so that non-axisymmetric refractive effects on optical characterizing parameters of formed bodies passing through the flow channel in the first element may be minimized before the two elements are optically joined and fixed in working spatial relationship.

An improved optical flow cell adapted for use in a flow cytometer for differentiating formed bodies (e.g., blood cells) in liquid suspensions. Preferably manufactured by assembling, aligning, and optically joining at least two elements made from transparent material, the improved flow cell has a seamless internal flow channel of preferably non-circular cross-section in a cylindrical first element through which prepared samples can be metered and an independent second element having an external envelope suited to acquisition of optical parameters from formed bodies in such suspensions, the second element being conforming and alignable to the first element so that non-axisymmetric refractive effects on optical characterizing parameters of formed bodies passing through the flow channel in the first element may be minimized before the two elements are optically joined and fixed in working spatial relationship.

A process for preparing a glass container that includes: providing a glass tube with a first portion, a second portion, and a longitudinal axis (L.sub.tube); holding the first portion in a first clamping chuck and the second portion in a second clamping chuck; rotating the glass tube around the longitudinal axis (L.sub.tube); heating, via a heater, the glass tube above a glass transition temperature; separating the first and second portions from one another by pulling apart along the longitudinal axis (L.sub.tube) while the heated glass tube is still rotating by moving the first and the second chucks away from each other; and moving the heater, while moving the first and second chucks away from each other, so that the heater follows a mass that remains at a circular end region of the first and/or second portion.

Provided are a chemical reaction device able to promote a chemical reaction, and a method for producing same. The chemical reaction device has an optical electric field confinement/chemical reaction container structure obtained by integrating an optical electric field confinement structure for forming an optical mode having a frequency identical to or close to a vibrational mode of a chemical substance involved in a chemical reaction, and a chemical reaction container structure having a space for storing a fluid required for the chemical reaction and containing the chemical reaction, the optical mode and the vibrational mode being vibrationally coupled to promote the chemical reaction.

Provided are a chemical reaction device able to promote a chemical reaction, and a method for producing same. The chemical reaction device has an optical electric field confinement/chemical reaction container structure obtained by integrating an optical electric field confinement structure for forming an optical mode having a frequency identical to or close to a vibrational mode of a chemical substance involved in a chemical reaction, and a chemical reaction container structure having a space for storing a fluid required for the chemical reaction and containing the chemical reaction, the optical mode and the vibrational mode being vibrationally coupled to promote the chemical reaction.

Disclosed herein are delamination resistant glass pharmaceutical containers which may include a glass body having a Class HGA1 hydrolytic resistance when tested according to the ISO 720:1985 testing standard. The glass body may have an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior surface of the glass body does not comprise a boron-rich layer when the glass body is in an as-formed condition. A heat-tolerant coating may be bonded to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the glass body. The heat-tolerant coating may have a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.7 and is thermally stable at a temperature of at least 250 C. for 30 minutes.

A method for producing substrate tubes of quartz glass includes continuously supplying a hollow cylinder of quartz glass to a heating zone, softening the hollow cylinder zonewise in the heating zone, and drawing off a tubular strand from the softened portion. The hollow cylinder has an outer diameter C.sub.a, an inner diameter C.sub.i and an inner bore. The tubular strand has an outer diameter T.sub.a and an inner diameter T.sub.i. The following parameters are applicable to the hollow cylinder and the tubular strand: C.sub.a>180 mm, C.sub.r>3 with C.sub.r=C.sub.a/C.sub.i, T.sub.r<1.6 with T.sub.r=T.sub.a/T.sub.i and C.sub.i/T.sub.i<2.5. The blow pressure in an inner bore is adjusted to a value in the range of 4 to 10 mbar. Substrate tubes, obtained by cutting the tubular strand to the desired length, serve as semi-finished products for the manufacture of preforms for optical fibers.

A method for producing substrate tubes of quartz glass includes continuously supplying a hollow cylinder of quartz glass to a heating zone, softening the hollow cylinder zonewise in the heating zone, and drawing off a tubular strand from the softened portion. The hollow cylinder has an outer diameter C.sub.a, an inner diameter C.sub.i and an inner bore. The tubular strand has an outer diameter T.sub.a and an inner diameter T.sub.i. The following parameters are applicable to the hollow cylinder and the tubular strand: C.sub.a>180 mm, C.sub.r>3 with C.sub.r=C.sub.a/C.sub.i, T.sub.r<1.6 with T.sub.r=T.sub.a/T.sub.i and C.sub.i/T.sub.i<2.5. The blow pressure in an inner bore is adjusted to a value in the range of 4 to 10 mbar. Substrate tubes, obtained by cutting the tubular strand to the desired length, serve as semi-finished products for the manufacture of preforms for optical fibers.

Provided herein are measurement systems including a micrometer assembly for receiving a length of tubing, the micrometer assembly including a plurality of non-contact optical micrometers disposed around the length of tubing for measuring an outer diameter (OD) at a first plurality of positions along a circumference of the length of tubing. The measurement system may further include a displacement gauge assembly for receiving the length of tubing from the optical micrometer assembly, the displacement gauge assembly including a plurality of non-contact gauges disposed around the length of tubing for measuring a wall thickness at a second plurality of positions along the circumference of the length of tubing. A controller receives the OD measurements and thickness measurements, and determines an inner diameter and a concentricity of the length of glass tubing based on an index of refraction of the length of glass tubing, the OD measurements, and the thickness measurements.