Corning Incorporated

Gary Allen Hart

Jue Wang

Leonard Gerard Wamboldt

Robin Merchant Walton

Jason Scott Ballou

Frederick J Gagliardi

Timothy R Soucy

Robert LeRoy Maier

Joseph Charles Crifasi

A highly reflective mirror for use in the wavelength range of 0.300 &#x3bc;m to 15 &#x3bc;m includes a substrate, a first interface layer, a reflective layer, a second interface layer, a plurality of tuning layers including a combination of a low index material and a high index material wherein the high index material is HfO, and a protective layer. The highly reflective mirror has a reflectivity of at least 90% over the wavelength range of 335 nm to 1000 nm at an angle of incidence (AOI) of 45&#xb0;.

Extending the reflection bandwith of silver coating stacks for highly reflective mirrors

The disclosure is directed to a highly reflective multiband mirror that is reflective in the VIS-NIR-SWIR-MWIR-LWIR bands, the mirror being a complete thin film stack that consists of a plurality of layers on a selected substrate. In order from substrate to the final layer, the mirror consists of (a) substrate, (b) barrier layer, (c) first interface layer, (d) a reflective layer, (e) a second interface layer, (f) tuning layer(s) and (g) a protective layer. In some embodiments the tuning layer and the protective layer are combined into a single layer using a single coating material. The multiband mirror is more durable than existing mirrors on light weight metal substrates, for example 6061-Al, designed for similar applications. In each of the five layer types methods and materials are used to process each layer so as to achieve the desired layer characteristics, which aid to enhancing the durability performance of the stack.

Enhanced, durable silver coating stacks for highly reflective mirrors

A method for coating substrates is provided. The method includes diamond turning a substrate to a surface roughness of between about 60 &#x212b; and about 100 &#x212b; RMS, wherein the substrate is one of a metal and a metal alloy. The method further includes polishing the diamond turned surface of the substrate to a surface roughness of between about 10 &#x212b; and about 25 &#x212b; to form a polished substrate, heating the polished substrate, and ion bombarding the substrate with an inert gas. The method includes depositing a coating including at least one metallic layer on the ion bombarded surface of the substrate using low pressure magnetron sputtering, and polishing the coating to form a finished surface having a surface roughness of less than about 25 &#x212b; RMS using a glycol based colloidal solution.

Enhanced performance metallic based optical mirror substrates

The disclosure is directed to a highly reflective multiband mirror that is reflective in the VIS-NIR_SWIR-MWIR-LWIR bands, the mirror being a complete thin film stack that consists of a plurality of layers on a selected substrate. In order from substrate to the final layer, the mirror consists of (a) substrate, (b) barrier layer, (c) first interface layer, (d) a reflective layer, (e) a second interface layer, (f) tuning layer(s) and (g) a protective layer. In some embodiments the tuning layer and the protective layer are combined into a single layer using a single coating material. The multiband mirror is more durable than existing mirrors on light weight metal substrates, for example 6061-Al, designed for similar applications. In each of the five layer types methods and materials are used to process each layer so as to achieve the desired layer characteristics, which aid to enhancing the durability performance of the stack.

The invention is directed to preparing optical elements having a thin, smooth, dense coating or film thereon, and a method for making such coating or film. The coated element has a surface roughness of &#x3c;1.0 nm rms. The coating materials include hafnium oxide or a mixture of hafnium oxide and another oxide material, for example silicon dioxide. The method includes the use of a reverse mask to deposit the coating or film on a rotating substrate.

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Walworth, NY, United States of America

Gary Allen Hart