Abstract

Sol-gel technique has been utilized for the fabrication of multifunctional inorganic-organic hybrid materials for specific applications. Synthesized methacrylic acid and benzoylacetone modified tin alkoxide precursors were used for the first time for the realization of directly UV-photopatternable antimony-doped tin dioxide coatings. These single-layered coatings have transmission values over 80 % at visible wavelengths and maximum electrical conductivity values around 15 S/cm. In comparison, multi-layered coatings without UV-photopatternability properties were fabricated. In this case, electrical conductivities are in the range of 10² S/cm. A novel material technique approach for laser protective eyewear was utilized for the synthesis and preparation of the mechanically tolerant and near-infrared absorbing filter coatings. Optical densities from 2 to 4 at laser threat wavelength, a ten fold increase in scratch resistance, and a hundred-fold increase in abrasion resistance, compared to uncoated polycarbonate substrates, were obtained by using absorbing dye-molecule doped sol-gel materials. Fabrication of a diffractive optical element, namely axicon, using hybrid-glass materials was demonstrated for the first time. Hybrid-glass material was tailored to fulfill the requirements of the functional axicon element.