The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 19, 2026
Filed:
Jan. 05, 2023
United States of America As Represented BY the Administrator of Nasa, Washington, DC (US);
Manuel Quijada, Laurel, MD (US);
Javier Del Hoyo, Pasadena, MD (US);
Luis V. Rodriguez De Marcos, Washington, DC (US);
Edward J. Wollack, Clarksville, MD (US);
United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a process to protect deposited aluminum coatings with an overcoat of LiF dielectric layer produced with a reactive Physical Vapor Deposition (rPVD) process. This process includes exposing the freshly deposited Al film to a fluorine containing gas (XeF) for immediate surface passivation. Next is the application of a Physical Vapor Deposited (PVD) LiF layer that is passivated with XeF. This process produces LiF-protected Al coatings that are more durable than AlLiF coatings produced by conventional PVD processes. The AlLiF coatings produced with this rPVD process are observed to be broadband, more durable, and less hygroscopic than coating produced with standard PVD process. In particular, the innovation has utility in realizing an intrinsic high reflectance of aluminum in the critical far-ultra-violet (90-130 nm) spectral range, while also preserving the intrinsic broadband nature of the aluminum reflectance in the near-infrared and up to at least 2500 nm.