(19)

(11)

EP 0 870 208 A2

(12)

(43) Date of publication: 14.10.1998 Bulletin 1998/42 (21) Application number: 97933289.0 (22) Date of filing: 01.07.1997

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  G02F 1/ 35( . ) H04B 10/ 17( . ) H01S 3/ 30( . ) H04B 10/ 18( . ) (86) International application number: PCT/US1997/011699 (87) International publication number: WO 1998/001777 (15.01.1998 Gazette 1998/02)

(84) Designated Contracting States: DE FR GB IT (30) Priority: 09.07.1996 RU 19960115406 (71) Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED Corning, N.Y. 14831 (US)	(72) Inventors: ALEKSANDROV, Igor Vladimirovitch St. Petersburg, 198103 (RU) NESTEROVA, Zinaida Vasylyevna St. Petersburg, 192274 (RU) NOLAN, Daniel, Aloysius Corning, NY 14830 (US) (74) Representative: Boon, Graham Anthony  Elkington and Fife, Prospect House, 8 Pembroke Road Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1XR Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1XR (GB)