Different Kinds Of Optical Coatings

Emery

Optical coatings are made up of a variety of thin film coatings that induce altering effects that improve the transmission of light or alter the reflective attributes of a material. The overall functionality of an optical coating depends upon the amount of layers it has, the density of each layers, what layers it has, and the refraction index of the optical coating as a whole. In this article, we will discuss some of the most common types of optical coatings that are in used in many industries today. Without further ado, let’s start:

  1. Anti-Reflection (AR) Coatings

Anti-reflection coatings are designed to block specific wavelengths while allowing others to pass through. Some examples are anti-UV light glasses, infrared, and colored glasses.

There are two major kinds of antireflection coating, which are discussed below:

Thick film

With thick film, the reflectivity of an optical device is greatly increased. This is because the film is thicker compared to the light that is reflected.

Thin film

A antireflective coating using thin film only has 1/4th of the size of the light that hits it. As such, thin film coats minimize reflectivity when used. These are found on screens, glasses, and other items that require little to no reflection to function properly.

  1. High Reflective (Mirror) Coatings

The opposite of Anti-Reflection Coating, this coating maximizes the reflective property of an object.

  1. Metallic Mirror Coatings

Coatings made from metal are normally very sensitive if they do not come with a protective layer. As such, they demand additional attention when in use, and when being cleaned. The top of an exposed metal covering must not be touched or washed with any material, unless you are using dry air. There is however a coating that solves that problem, and it is called metallic mirror coating. A dielectric coating over a delicate coating will provide much needed protection to the elements, which improves the life of the metallic layer. The dielectric coating may also be made to boost the reflectiveness of the metallic coating, which is achieved through multiple layering.

  1. Beamsplitter coatings 

These are used to separate incident lighting into identified and mirrored light wavelengths. Basically, it separates a beam of light into two, as the name suggests. It is used in measurement devices like interferometers, and other applications such as in the fiber optic industry.

Conclusion

There are optical coatings made for almost any device or item that requires it. There are specific coatings for glasses, screens, mirrors, and even machineries used in production. If you are looking for a company that offers different optical coating services, we recommend you to check out Evaporated Coatings Inc. They offer a lot of services. They have anti reflective coatings for glasses, plastic and polymer, fiber and fiber optics, crystal, and other semiconductors. They also offer dielectric optical coatings, laser dielectric mirror coatings, Ion Beam Sputtering coatings, and more. Visit their website here to find out more about their services, prices, and their contact details.

 

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