Abstract
Optical thin film coatings are an essential part of all optical systems from basic illuminators to high performance optical telescopes. The design, development and production need to be tailored specifically for the application in order to extract the most efficient performance possible. Using E-Beam deposition with Ion Beam assist provides versatility to the coating designer to meet unique specifications. The presentation will show what is involved in translating optical coating specifications to design, production and final qualification. Specifically, tradeoffs in film material selection, parametric modeling, vacuum equipment considerations and effects of process variability. Examples of multilayer dielectric and metal films will be presented from specification through final product.
