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We have been developing and improving our coating expertise for over 50 years, which has led us to be the leading experts in optical coatings from UV to longwave IR using advanced technologies from low energy e-beam evaporation to dense, amorphous ion beam sputtered coatings. Our coating engineers and technicians create repeatable, precision processes for off-the-shelf quality optics to spectrally complex custom optics to meet and exceed project performance, quality, budget, and on-time delivery.
Our coating capabilities are one of the key aspects that make us world leaders in custom optical components and assemblies.
Ion-Beam Sputtering (IBS) process results in very high dense, durable, and laser damage threshold thin films. This process is an excellent solution when extreme performance is the only answer. We utilize proprietary in-situ process controls that allow the deposition of complex thin film structures with very high precision. By monitoring the deposited films directly on substrates and the use of end-to-end automation, we can deposit films in excess of 200 layers with repeatable nm-level accuracy of each layer. Increased spectral control allows us to create solutions with sharper features, higher contrast, more repeatable performance, and tighter tolerances. See comparison chart below for more details.
Advanced Plasma Sputtering (APS) process is an alternative solution to IBS when cost and time are some of the deciding factors in your application. APS still results in dense, durable, and high laser damage threshold coatings but has the advantage over IBS in processing coatings faster and in higher volumes. This process is more dense and environmentally stable then E-beam with its reduced porosity. The APS coating chamber has an Optical Monitoring System so that adjustments can be made in real time, improving coating layer thickness accuracy which allows for tighter control of specifications. See comparison chart below for more details.
Our E-beam process is great for a wide variety of lower absorption coatings, visible, IR, and some deep UV coating applications at high volume and low cost with its fast deposition times. This process allows for a variety of applications, shapes, sizes, and even preformed optics such as prisms. E-beam coatings are porous and less susceptible to after coating surface accuracy performance changes. These coatings are ideal for coatings in the UV range because there is minimal scattering. See comparison chart below for more details.
This coating process is great for deep UV coatings resulting in less defects and clear coating depositions. These are soft coatings and therefore are susceptible to temperature and humidity changes. We use this coating technology for metallic optics and filters. See comparison chart below for more details.
Coating Technologies Comparison Chart
E-Beam IAD | |
Density | Med-High |
Durability | Very Good |
Smoothness | Good |
Wavelength Range | 190nm - ~ 20microns |
Substrate Materials | All Glass |
Coating Materials | Fluoride, Oxide, Sulphides, Semiconductors (Ge & Si) |
Production Time | Short-Med |
Price | $$ |
Repeatability | Good |
Environment Sensitivity | Stable |
Thermal EBE | |
Density | Low |
Durability | Good |
Smoothness | Good |
Wavelength Range | 157nm - 2100 nm |
Substrate Materials | All Glass |
Coating Materials | Fluoride |
Production Time | Short |
Price | $ |
Repeatability | Med |
Environment Sensitivity | Not Very Stable |
APS | |
Density | High |
Durability | Very High |
Smoothness | Very Good |
Wavelength Range | 250nm - ~ 20microns |
Substrate Materials | All Glass |
Coating Materials | Fluoride, Oxide, Sulphides, Semiconductors (Ge & Si) |
Production Time | Short-Med |
Price | $$$ |
Repeatability | High |
Environment Sensitivity | Very Stable |
IBS | |
Density | Very High |
Durability | Very High |
Smoothness | Very Good |
Wavelength Range | 266nm - 3500nm |
Substrate Materials | All Glass |
Coating Materials | Oxide |
Production Time | Long |
Price | $$$$ |
Repeatability | Highest |
Environment Sensitivity | Very Stable |
CVI Metallic Coatings
Coating Design | Wavelength Range |
Vacuum UV Aluminum (VUVA) | 145 - 195 nm |
Deep UV Aluminum (DUVA) | 185 - 1200 nm designed for 185-250 nm |
Enhanced Alunimum (EAV) | 450 - 650 nm |
Protected Silver | 400 nm – 20 um |
Protected Gold | 650 nm – 20 um |
Coating Design | Reflectivity |
Vacuum UV Aluminum (VUVA) | R>85% at 157 nm by design |
Deep UV Aluminum (DUVA) | R>90% at 193 nm Ravg>85% 400 - 1200 nm |
Enhanced Alunimum (EAV) | R≥92% at 450 - 650 nm |
Protected Silver | Ravg≥95% at 400 nm – 20 um |
Protected Gold | Ravg≥95.5% at 650 - 1700nm Ravg≥98% 2 - 20 um |
Coating Technologies Comparison Chart
Thermal EBE | E-Beam IAD | APS | IBS | |
Density | Low | Med-High | High | Very High |
Durability | Good | Very Good | Very High | Very High |
Smoothness | Good | Good | Very Good | Very Good |
Wavelength Range | 157nm - 2100 nm | 190nm - ~ 20microns | 250nm - ~ 20microns | 266nm - 3500nm |
Substrate Materials | All Glass | All Glass | All Glass | All Glass |
Coating Materials | Fluoride | Fluoride, Oxide, Sulphides, Semiconductors (Ge & Si) | Fluoride, Oxide, Sulphides, Semiconductors (Ge & Si) | Oxide |
Production Time | Short | Short-Med | Short-Med | Long |
Price | $ | $$ | $$$ | $$$$ |
Repeatability | Med | Good | High | Highest |
Environment Sensitivity | Not Very Stable | Stable | Very Stable | Very Stable |
CVI Metallic Coatings
Coating Design | Wavelength Range | Reflectivity |
Vacuum UV Aluminum (VUVA) | 145 - 195 nm | R>85% at 157 nm by design |
Deep UV Aluminum (DUVA) | 185 - 1200 nm designed for 185-250 nm |
R>90% at 193 nm Ravg>85% 400 - 1200 nm |
Enhanced Alunimum (EAV) | 450 - 650 nm | R≥92% at 450 - 650 nm |
Protected Silver | 400 nm – 20 um | Ravg≥95% at 400 nm – 20 um |
Protected Gold | 650 nm – 20 um | Ravg≥95.5% at 650 - 1700nm Ravg≥98% 2 - 20 um |