HIGH TECH OPTICS AND COATINGS USING PULSED ION BEAM TECHNOLOGY
Electron beam deposition assisted by energetic Ions produces enhanced film properties, reduces stress, improves cohesion and durability, reduces moisture absorption. In-situ cleaning of substrate reduces pinholes, lint and allows a more uniform stoichiometry of thin films. During deposition, the Ion beam assists the film growth by activating the grain boundry of the electron beam evaporated material. The resulting condition allows the film growth to be moe amorphous in structure.
The pulse Ion beam technology uses a high Ion beam current with a wide bandwidth. Pulsing the Ion beam improves the structure of the film than conventional Ion sources. Pulsing the Ion beam, a high Ion beam current and a broad structure of Ions makes a superior optical coating. An Ion beam can reduce the stress for a vapor-deposited film, thus allowing thicker films to be deposited without sacrificing adhesion by using Ion energy energy instead of conventional heating techniques without the need for heating.
Pre-cleaning using highly energized Ions does a plasma clean with reduces pinholes, prepares the optics for coating, reduces surface contaminants and improves adhesion.
Metals like gold, silver, copper, aluminum adhere to the optics without a binding layer. Thus reducing pinholes, better internal reflectance coatings and a longer life coating.
Low energy Ion cleaning prior to deposition increases the strength of the bond and improves surface properties such as film and substrate adhesion. Ion beam pre-cleaning also removes surface contaminants such as water vapor, hydrocarbons and other absorbed materials.
The Ion source inherently uses low energy Ions, therefore, the risk of surface penetration or resulting damage to the substrate is eliminated. The benefits of this procedure are improved film adhesion and removal of microscopic surface contaminants.
APPLICATIONS | SUBSTRATES | CRYSTALS |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Reflective Coatings | All optical glasses including fiber optics | LBO |
| Fiber Optics | BBO | |
| Fragile Optics | KTP | |
| High Reflection Mirrors | Other Laser Crystals | |
| Low Temperature Applications | ||
| Astronomical Optics | ||
| Beam Splitters | ||
| Higher Laser Damage | ||
| Hot / Cold Mirrors | ||
| Laminates | ||
| Band Pass Filters | ||
| Low Shift Filters | ||
| Plastics |
