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Opti-Forms has developed a range of surface enhancements that meet the requirements of our standard applications including both electro-deposited and vacuum deposited coatings. Check out our Reflectivity Performance Spectragraphs of our Standard Thin Film Coatings available at Opti-Forms. Some of our standard thin film coatings are outlined below:
- Rhodium (Rh): Hard, durable, and inert, this precious metal is electro-deposited. Reflectivity ranges from near 70% in the near ultraviolet to over 80% in the infrared. With this broad range and the relative low cost, electro-deposited rhodium has become the standard at Opti-Forms.
- Gold (Au): Totally inert with excellent infrared reflectance, this electro-deposited precious metal, also available vacuum deposited, is the ideal choice for broad band infrared use. In many applications the low durability of gold can be tolerated in exchange for reflectance of over 96% at a wavelength from one to over ten microns.
- Aluminum (Al):
The average visible reflectance of the bare Ni substrate is approximately 62%. By overcoating the bare Ni substrate with vacuum deposited Al the average visible reflectance increases to 91%. Thin film bare aluminum is delicate and scratches easily. Evaporated thin film aluminum is also susceptible to mechanical and optical degradation in use and in storage, depending on environmental factors. Aluminum is a vacuum deposited soft metal with approximately 90% reflectance form the ultraviolet through the infrared, with the exception of 800 to 850 nanometers. Cost is moderate, but the nature of bare aluminum is so delicate that it is rarely used without protective overcoats.
- Aluminum with Quartz overcoat (AQ): Silicon Dioxide overcoated aluminum, also vacuum deposited, exhibits over 90% reflectance across the visible spectrum, with good handling characteristics. While not as durable as rhodium, it has improved reflectance with slightly increased cost.
- Aluminum with Magnesium Fluoride overcoat (AF): Used where the ultraviolet reflectivity of aluminum is required the magnesium fluoride overcoat retards oxidation and provides some abrasion protection. The moderate cost is somewhat offset by the more sensitive care required in cleaning and maintaining the surface.
- UV Enhanced multi-layer (ER, enhanced rhodium; EN, enhanced nickel): A hybrid coating developed at Opti-Forms combining electro-deposited rhodium with vacuum deposited thin-film overcoats. The dichroic overcoating is optimized such that the reflectance of rhodium is enhanced over a limited spectral band. This extremely durable coating is primarily used for ultraviolet bands where the high reflectance (around 95%) and environmental stability more than justify the higher costs. The reflectance bandwidth is a function of the central wavelength, and can be specified for 250 nanometers or longer.
- Dichroic Cold Coating multi-layer (DCC): A hybrid coating developed for illumination applications such as motion picture projection systems. A high reflectance dichroic coating for the visible spectrum is combined with an infrared absorbing component, allowing over 75% of the infrared (heat) energy to be absorbed into the reflector. With a reflectance of over 95% in the visible range, the elimination of most of the infrared in the downstream optical path, and excellent durability, the premium cost for this optimized system is clearly justified.
OPTI-FORMS PROVIDES HIGH PERFORMANCE COATINGS TO A WORLDWIDE MARKET.
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Our standard coatings are designed to:
- Reflect visible spectral energy and absorb Infrared energy. (Film projection and high-performance lighting applications)
- Reflect visible spectral energy and transmit Infrared energy.(Cold mirrors)
- Reflect Ultra-Violet energy and transmit visible and IR energy. (UV Cold mirror)
- Vary transmission through given spectral range. (Filters, Stage lighting, Architectural lighting and Aircraft lighting)
- Transmit IR energy and block visible energy. (Security filters)
If a performance requirement isn’t met with a standard optical coating, Opti-Forms will design and deposit a custom solution.
Please contact our sales department with your needs.
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