The fabrication of asymmetric monometallic nanocrystals with novel properties for plasmonics, nanophotonics and nanoelectronics. Asymmetric monometallic plasmonic nanocrystals are of both fundamental synthetic challenge and practical significance. In an example, a thiol-ligand mediated growth strategy that enables the synthesis of unprecedented Au Nanorod-Au Nanoparticle (AuNR-AuNP) dimers from pre-synthesized AuNR seeds. Using high-resolution electron microscopy and tomography, crystal structure and three-dimensional morphology of the dimer, as well as the growth pathway of the AuNP on the AuNR seed, was investigated for this example. The dimer exhibits an extraordinary broadband optical extinction spectrum spanning the UV, visible, and near infrared regions (300-1300 nm). This unexpected property makes the AuNR-AuNP dimer example useful for many nanophotonic applications. In two experiments, the dimer example was tested as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate and a solar light harvester for photothermal conversion, in comparison with the mixture of AuNR and AuNP. In the SERS experiment, the dimer example showed an enhancement factor about 10 times higher than that of the mixture, when the excitation wavelength (660 nm) was off the two surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands of the mixture. In the photothermal conversion experiment under simulated sunlight illumination, the dimer example exhibited an energy conversion efficiency about 1.4 times as high as that of the mixture.

The fabrication of asymmetric monometallic nanocrystals with novel properties for plasmonics, nanophotonics and nanoelectronics. Asymmetric monometallic plasmonic nanocrystals are of both fundamental synthetic challenge and practical significance. In an example, a thiol-ligand mediated growth strategy that enables the synthesis of unprecedented Au Nanorod-Au Nanoparticle (AuNR-AuNP) dimers from pre-synthesized AuNR seeds. Using high-resolution electron microscopy and tomography, crystal structure and three-dimensional morphology of the dimer, as well as the growth pathway of the AuNP on the AuNR seed, was investigated for this example. The dimer exhibits an extraordinary broadband optical extinction spectrum spanning the UV, visible, and near infrared regions (300-1300 nm). This unexpected property makes the AuNR-AuNP dimer example useful for many nanophotonic applications. In two experiments, the dimer example was tested as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate and a solar light harvester for photothermal conversion, in comparison with the mixture of AuNR and AuNP. In the SERS experiment, the dimer example showed an enhancement factor about 10 times higher than that of the mixture, when the excitation wavelength (660 nm) was off the two surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands of the mixture. In the photothermal conversion experiment under simulated sunlight illumination, the dimer example exhibited an energy conversion efficiency about 1.4 times as high as that of the mixture.

A technical object of the present invention is to devise a glass sheet that is suitable for supporting a substrate to be processed to be subjected to high-density wiring and has high end surface strength, and a method of manufacturing the glass sheet, to thereby contribute to an increase in density of a semiconductor package. The glass sheet of the present invention has a total thickness variation of less than 2.0 μm, all or part of an end surface of the glass sheet including a melt-solidified surface.

A technical object of the present invention is to devise a glass sheet that is suitable for supporting a substrate to be processed to be subjected to high-density wiring and has high end surface strength, and a method of manufacturing the glass sheet, to thereby contribute to an increase in density of a semiconductor package. The glass sheet of the present invention has a total thickness variation of less than 2.0 μm, all or part of an end surface of the glass sheet including a melt-solidified surface.

When a laser beam is used to perform shape processing on an edge surface of a disk-shaped glass plate, in order to suppress strain (retardation values) in the main surface of the glass plate, the disk-shaped glass plate is floated above a base, and the edge surface of the glass plate is processed into a target shape by irradiating the edge surface with the laser beam while contactlessly heating the glass plate in a state where the glass plate is floated, and moving the laser beam relative to the edge surface in the circumferential direction of the disk-shaped glass plate.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an exterior part for a timepiece or piece of jewelry made of Murano glass, said method comprising the following steps: providing a material formed of glass rods (2), also referred to as glass tubes, arranged side by side; multi-cycle heat treatment to consolidate the material and form a blank; machining the blank to produce the exterior part, the method being characterised in that the heat treatment comprises a first cycle (a) consisting of heating the material from a temperature less than or equal to 100° C. to a temperature between 450 and 650° C. at a heating rate between 4 and 12° C./min in order to avoid the formation of air bubbles during the manufacturing of the blank. It also relates to the exterior part for a timepiece or piece of jewelry, in particular a watch case, having a structure with few or no air bubbles.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an exterior part for a timepiece or piece of jewelry made of Murano glass, said method comprising the following steps: providing a material formed of glass rods (2), also referred to as glass tubes, arranged side by side; multi-cycle heat treatment to consolidate the material and form a blank; machining the blank to produce the exterior part, the method being characterised in that the heat treatment comprises a first cycle (a) consisting of heating the material from a temperature less than or equal to 100° C. to a temperature between 450 and 650° C. at a heating rate between 4 and 12° C./min in order to avoid the formation of air bubbles during the manufacturing of the blank. It also relates to the exterior part for a timepiece or piece of jewelry, in particular a watch case, having a structure with few or no air bubbles.

Methods for producing glass articles from laminated glass tubing include introducing the glass tubing to a converter. The glass tubing includes a core layer under tensile stress, an outer clad layer under, and an inner clad layer. The methods include forming a feature the glass article at a working end of the laminated glass tubing and separating a glass article from the working end of the laminated glass tubing, which may expose the core layer under tensile stress at the working end of the glass tubing. The method further comprises remediating the exposed portion of the core layer by completely enclosing the core layer in a clad layer. Systems for re-cladding the exposed portion of the core layer as well as glass articles made using the systems and methods are also disclosed.

A glass container comprises a glass body comprising a first region under a compressive stress extending from a surface of the glass body to a depth of compression and a second region extending from the depth of compression into a thickness of the glass body, the second region being under a tensile stress. The glass container also includes a localized compressive stress region having a localized compressive stress extending from the surface to a localized depth of compression within the body. The localized depth of compression is greater than the depth of compression of the first region. The glass container also includes a crack re-direction region extending in a predetermined propagation direction, wherein the crack re-direction region possesses a higher tensile stress than the tensile stress in the second region in a sub-region of the crack re-direction region, the sub-region extending substantially perpendicular to the predetermined propagation direction.

A tube filter for smoking a smokable substance that includes a receiving section having a receiving chamber dimensioned to receive the substance, a smoke section having a smoke chamber to output smoke produced while the substance is ignited, wherein the smoke section has a first open end into the smoke chamber and the receiving section has a second open end into the receiving chamber that is opposite to the first end, and first, second, and third indentations that are disposed between the two chambers, wherein a portion of the first indentation and a first portion of the second indentation are disposed within a first cross-section of the filter and a portion of the third indentation and a second portion of the second indentation are disposed within a second cross-section of the filter, and the third indentation is entirely disposed above the first indentation along the center longitudinal axis.