Advances in optical polymers coupled with developments in fabrication methods have led to more optics designers choosing polymer components over glass and metal optical parts – and its no surprise why. Lower cost, faster production, and less weight are just a few of the myriad advantages that polymer-coated optics lend manufacturers.
Chalcogenides offer many advantages that legacy IR materials simply cannot match, but they do require a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating so the optic can withstand the harshest environmental conditions. However, coating chalcogenides with DLC has been notoriously challenging and plagued by adhesion problems and coating defects. Until now.
Values for Laser Induced Damage Thresholds (LIDTs) can vary.They vary batch to batch and coating house to coating house. But more worryingly, damage thresholds can vary from test house to test house. Inflated values present real expense issues to the end user when their optics damage under seemingly safe conditions.
The shape of modern optical components is becoming increasingly complex, which can make them more difficult to coat.
Dr Kristin Pfeiffer, Pallabi Paul, and Dr Adriana Szeghalmi have developed conformal coating processes for functionalising strongly curved optics
Optical coatings are helping to improve the efficiency of solar cells, finds David Stuart
Values for Laser Induced Damage Thresholds (LIDTs) can vary. Inflated values give a rosy glow to the coater and a redder glow to the end user when their optics damage under seemingly safe conditions. There is much finger pointing within the damage community and there are numerous sources of variance. This situation highlights the importance of following the ISO standards for laser damage testing.
Optics Balzers headquarters
Optics Balzers expects to benefit from Materion's sales strength in the USA, and Materion benefits from Optics Balzers’ market position in Europe
Greg Blackman on the filters used in point of care devices for testing for Covid-19
The HELIX Spectral Analysis System has redefined measurement capabilities of high performance thin-film optical filters. HELIX is an instrument designed and developed by Alluxa to address the limitations of spectrophotometers. Download our whitepaper to find out more!
Broadband monitoring with high signal quality enables use of both broadband and monochromatic layer termination algorithms in the same process when depositing optical interference coatings. Case studies using a bandpass filter and an absorbing layer show how such a “hybrid” approach can lead to the most accurate layer termination.
Advances in optical metrology equipment are helping the semiconductor industry increase productivity and reduce downtime, finds Keely Portway
Andy Extance finds the pains and gains of laser light’s different behaviour in water for oceanographers using lidar
Carlos Lee, Epic’s director general, talks to Martina Mueller, CEO of 3D AG, a Swiss company specialising in micro and nanotechnology and holographic structures
David Giltner, founder of TurningScience, discusses whether these two seemingly different career paths can successfully overlap
Matthew Dale reports on the association’s yearly event, where the importance of diversity, photonics funding and investment were to the fore
Géraldine Andrieux, at Blumorpho, shares her top tips on getting investors’ attention as a startup
Scientists have developed a lensless, infrared spectral-imaging system for medical diagnostics
A metaform is a new optical component that can combine with freeform optics to enable compact AR/VR headsets and eyewear. (Image: University of Rochester illustration/Michael Osadciw)
Researchers have combined freeform optics and a metasurface to deliver high-quality AR/VR glasses that are compact and easy to wear
