OPTICAL COATINGS

The ALD system could be used to coat complex augmented, virtual and mixed reality optics at higher efficiency

Coating complex freeform optics

Tim Reynolds speaks to Gerd-Albert Hoffmann, head of the Optics Integration Group at Laser Zentrum Hannover, about a new spatial atomic layer deposition system

After the test disk is placed inside the chamber, some fine tuning is required to ensure they are horizontal and perfectly centred (credit: Caltech)

Making waves in cosmic ripple detection

LIGO scientists have developed a new mirror coating that could dramatically increase the observatory's detection rate of gravitational waves

Space Coat

The development of optical coatings for use beyond Earth is driving innovation, Andrew Williams finds

Armour for optics

Some consider optical components to be mere carriers for the vanishingly-thin elements that do the actual work - the coatings. Russ Swan reviews the recent developments for improving the laser induced damage thresholds of optical coatings

A date with deposition

In-situ metrology offers, for the first time, a closed-loop optical coating process, which is improving precision and automation in coating machines. Greg Blackman reports

Rising to the ion challenge

In order to obtain the properties required from complex optical coatings, companies running ion beam sputtering machines have had to improve the control of the deposition process. Greg Blackman looks at the technology involved

The key to coatings

Greg Blackman takes a look at how optical coatings are used to enhance the properties of the optics to which they are applied

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