Optical Coatings

Platypus Technologies offers services in design and deposition of thin film optical coatings.  Our offering includes anti-reflective (AR) coatings, highly reflective dielectric mirror coatings, and beamsplitter coatings.

We fabricate optical coatings by sequential deposition of dielectric materials using electron-beam evaporation. Materials available include magnesium fluoride (MgF₂), silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), hafnium oxide (HfO₂), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂). We focus on delivering custom solutions tailored to specific needs in the wavelength range of 200-nm to 1,100-nm.

Anti-Reflection Coatings

Anti-Reflection (AR) coatings are designed to reduce the reflectivity of optical components and to increase transmission within the desired wavelength range. Typical anti-reflection coatings include single-layer V-coatings, dual-band or 2:1 AR coatings, and broadband AR coatings. For each case, the type and thickness of the dielectric layers is optimized to ensure minimum reflectivity at the wavelength(s) specified by the customer.

AR coatings are applied to optical surfaces used in the context of lasers, cameras, microscope components and photodetectors.

Dielectric Mirror Coatings

Dielectric mirror coatings, also known as Bragg mirror coatings, aim to provide maximum reflectivity of light at a selected range of wavelengths. In addition, it is possible to design for a specific level of reflectivity for beam splitters. In contrast to metallic mirror coatings (e.g. aluminum or silver), dielectric mirror coatings exhibit low absorption and high resistance to laser damage.

Applications of dielectric mirror coatings include optical surfaces for interferometers, laser cavities, telescopes and spectrometer

Complementary services include deposition of metal thin films, patterning of thin films, and dicing.

Related Blogs:

• Custom Anti-Reflective Coatings