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17 Jun 2002
Melles Griot Technical Optics has commercialized a new, ion-assisted technique for depositing coatings onto substrates. The method produces high performance, ultra-hard optical coatings that have better adhesion and long-term stability than conventional coatings.
Traditional coating methods use electron beam evaporation techniques. Ion assisted methods enhance these techniques by simultaneous bombardment with oxygen ions, giving the atoms in the coating more energy. This means that fabrication temperatures can be lower, which is important in situations where high temperatures may damage substrates.
Normally, two sets of grids produce the ion beam. The problem is that the grids are made of pyrolytic graphite which could contaminate the coatings through sputtering.
Jonathan James, of Melles Griot Technical Optics, said that the new method, which does not require graphite grids, has the benefits of the traditional ion deposition method without the contamination problems. He explained that the new system ensures higher oxygenation of the growing optical coating.
The company has been using the technique commercially for about three months, concentrating on the most popular wavelength, 1064 nanometres, for YAG cavity and beam delivery optics. Now it is looking at other wavelengths down to deep UV.
"Optics users have been particularly excited about our high performance calcium and magnesium fluoride optics for UV applications at wavelengths of 193, 248, 308 and in the range 351 to 355 nanometres. These are produced to an optical standard of 10-5 scratch dig and a transmitted or reflected wavefront of lambda/10," claimed James.
He commented, "Optics capable of withstanding high laser powers over extended operational lifetimes need to have a very high quality interface between the substrate and coating and we can offer this by producing both."
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