A method of producing bi-modal particles includes the steps of igniting a first precursor gas using a primary burner thereby producing a first plurality of particles of a first size, fluidly transporting the first plurality of particles down a particle tube, igniting a second precursor gas using a secondary burner thereby producing a second plurality of particles of a second size, flowing the second plurality of particles into the first plurality of particles, and capturing the first and second plurality of particles.

The invention relates to a method for producing a solid nanocomposite material comprising nanoparticles of a metal coordination polymer with ligands CN, said nanoparticles satisfying the formula [Alk.sup.+.sub.x]M.sup.n+[M′(CN).sub.m].sup.z− where Alk is an alkali metal, x is 1 or 2, M is a transition metal, n is 2 or 3, M′ is a transition metal, m is 6 or 8, and z is 3 or 4; said M.sup.n+ cations of the coordination polymer being bound by an organometallic bond or a coordination bond to an organic group R2 of an organic graft, and said organic graft furthermore being chemically attached, preferably by a covalent bond, to at least one surface of a solid support, by reaction of a group R1 of said graft with said surface.

The invention relates to a method for producing a solid nanocomposite material comprising nanoparticles of a metal coordination polymer with ligands CN, said nanoparticles satisfying the formula [Alk.sup.+.sub.x]M.sup.n+[M′(CN).sub.m].sup.z− where Alk is an alkali metal, x is 1 or 2, M is a transition metal, n is 2 or 3, M′ is a transition metal, m is 6 or 8, and z is 3 or 4; said M.sup.n+ cations of the coordination polymer being bound by an organometallic bond or a coordination bond to an organic group R2 of an organic graft, and said organic graft furthermore being chemically attached, preferably by a covalent bond, to at least one surface of a solid support, by reaction of a group R1 of said graft with said surface.

Synthetic quartz glass substrates are prepared by furnishing a synthetic quartz glass block, coating two opposed surfaces of the glass block with a liquid having a transmittance of at least 99.0%/mm at a birefringence measuring wavelength, measuring a birefringence of the glass block by directing light thereacross, determining a slice thickness on the basis of the birefringence measurement and the dimensions of the substrate, and slicing the glass block at the determined slice thickness.

Synthetic quartz glass substrates are prepared by furnishing a synthetic quartz glass block, coating two opposed surfaces of the glass block with a liquid having a transmittance of at least 99.0%/mm at a birefringence measuring wavelength, measuring a birefringence of the glass block by directing light thereacross, determining a slice thickness on the basis of the birefringence measurement and the dimensions of the substrate, and slicing the glass block at the determined slice thickness.

A method to transfer a layer of harder thin film substrate onto a softer, flexible substrate. In particular, the present invention provides a method to deposit a layer of sapphire thin film on to a softer and flexible substrate e.g. quartz, fused silica, silicon, glass, toughened glass, PET, polymers, plastics, paper and fabrics. This combination provides the hardness of sapphire thin film to softer flexible substrates.

A composite silica glass made light diffusion member includes a dense silica glass, and a porous silica glass which has been layered on the surface of the dense silica glass. The porous silica glass is a porous body and has a homogeneous pore distribution. The porous body has a framework including a plurality of spherical silica glasses, contains a communicating pore part formed by spaces among them, and has a central pore size of 10 to 20 μm and a porosity of 25 to 40%. The spherical silica glasses have an average diameter of 30 to 100 μm. An average value of a specific arithmetic average roughness Ra in each of the spherical silica glass exposed on an outer surface of the porous silica glass is 0.8 to 4.0 nm.

A composite silica glass made light diffusion member includes a dense silica glass, and a porous silica glass which has been layered on the surface of the dense silica glass. The porous silica glass is a porous body and has a homogeneous pore distribution. The porous body has a framework including a plurality of spherical silica glasses, contains a communicating pore part formed by spaces among them, and has a central pore size of 10 to 20 μm and a porosity of 25 to 40%. The spherical silica glasses have an average diameter of 30 to 100 μm. An average value of a specific arithmetic average roughness Ra in each of the spherical silica glass exposed on an outer surface of the porous silica glass is 0.8 to 4.0 nm.

A process for producing a fluorinated quartz glass is described, including providing an SiO.sub.2 soot body; reacting the SiO.sub.2 soot body with a fluorinating agent having a boiling point of greater than or equal to −10° C. to obtain a fluorinated SiO.sub.2 soot body; and vitrifying the fluorinated SiO.sub.2 soot body.

A process for producing a fluorinated quartz glass is described, including providing an SiO.sub.2 soot body; reacting the SiO.sub.2 soot body with a fluorinating agent having a boiling point of greater than or equal to −10° C. to obtain a fluorinated SiO.sub.2 soot body; and vitrifying the fluorinated SiO.sub.2 soot body.