California Institute of Technology

Other

Litton Systems, Inc.

David T Wei

Axel Scherer

Anthony W Louderback

An integrated plasmon detector includes a top layer of material adapted to generate a plasmon when excited by a beam of light incident onto a surface of the top layer, an interface layer joined to the top layer opposite from the surface of the top layer and adapted to slow polarons emitted by the plasmon to thermal electrons, and a collector layer joined to the interface layer opposite from the top layer and adapted to collect the thermal electrons from the interface layer.

Using a polaron interaction zone as an interface to integrate a plasmon layer and a semiconductor detector

A method for monitoring the surface roughness of a metal, comprises impinging a laser beam onto the surface of a metal layer to induce the formation of a plasmon therein, and monitoring a current of decay electrons emitted by the plasmon.

Utilizing an integrated plasmon detector to measure a metal deposit roughness on a semiconductor surface

A technique for ion beam sputter deposition of optical coatings. The technique includes the following features (i) an assist chemical emitted towards the sputter target to oppose the tendency of film growth on the target; (ii) a discriminate baffle to capture ions or assist chemicals reflected from the target; (iii) a screen chemical to protect the coating area from the assist chemical; (iv) compartmentalized of the coating chamber to reduce crossing effects between the different chemicals (D.W.) (C.L.); (v) a compartmentalized assist ion beam to modify the coating and to reduce microstructure, defects and impurities in the coating (D.W.) (C.L.); and (vi) to combine the above features or multiply use one of the above features to further advantage or to increase throughput.

Method and apparatus for ion beam sputter deposition of thin films

A method for fabricating multiple layer interference optical films by ion beam sputtering, said films being used for mirrors in a ring laser apparatus. An ion beam strikes a target material obliquely, dislodging molecules of the target so that they can be deposited on a surface serving as a base for a multiple layer interference coating. The thickness of the coating is monitored so that the proper thickness of a given layer can be optimized to obtain the type of reflectance desired for a given light wave length. The surface to be coated is rotated during the deposition of the layer of target material. A stack of layers of alternating indices of refraction comprises the optical interference film. The coating process occurs inside of a vacuum chamber where the partial pressures of the gases are carefully controlled to insure the proper ion beam intensity and optimum stoichiometry of the deposited optical films. Prior to beginning the deposition of optical films, the ceramic substrate comprising the mirror base is bombarded by the ion beam at an oblique angle to remove surface anomalies and clean it.

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Malibu, CA, United States of America

David T Wei