Glass rock from volcano acid coagulation. About BC 3700 years ago, the ancient egyptians have created simple glass ornaments and glassware, at that time, only the colored glass, about 1000 years ago, BC produced colorless glass in China. Glass in the 12th century, the commodity, and start to become industrial materials. The 18th century, in order to adapt to the needs of development of telescope, making optical glass. In 1873, the Belgian first make plate glass. In 1906, the United States make plate glass computer. Since then, with the industrialization and scale of glass production, the performance of a variety of purposes and glass thereafter. Modern, glass has become a daily life, the production and the important materials in the field of science and technology.

Species usually according to the main ingredients are divided into oxide glass and non oxide glass. The oxide glass varieties and few in number, mainly chalcogenide glass and glass of halide. Anion of chalcogenide glass such as sulfur, selenium, tellurium, but as the light frequency and through yellow, red, and near and far infrared light, its resistance is low, switch and memory characteristics. Halide glass of low refractive index, low dispersion, used in optical glass.