The Various Types of Optical Coatings Currently Available to the Public

Summary: Optical coatings are a major part of pedestrian life. This brief article discusses the in-depth details of the process.

Optical coating involves one or more thin layers of a specified material being deposited on an optical component – like a mirror or a lens. It essentially alters the way the optics reflect and transmit light, which is an important component for optics in general. This article will dive into the major details of optics and discuss the advantages it presents to the industry.

Various Types of Coatings

One of the more common types of optical coating that is continuously produces is known as an antireflection coating, which eliminates unwanted reflections from the surface and leaves behind only what’s desired by the user. This can be more of an aesthetic process for lenses that must have a specific type of reflective layers. It’s most commonly used on photographic lenses.

Another commonly produced optical coating through PECVD process is known as high-reflector coating, which is often used on mirrors that reflect a high amount of light that falls on it. This reduces the overall glare when directly hit by sunlight and allows the user to see the mirror without having to tilt it as much to get a better angle.

The more complex types of optical coating systems tend to exhibit a high amount of reflection over a range of wavelengths, which allow for the production of dichroic thin-film optical filters. Although there are various types of optical coatings available on the market, it should be known that all of these share the same benefit. They all involve the deposition of a thin layer of metal, like aluminum for example, to yield a high reflective characteristic of the mirror. Depending on the metal used, there are various factors, such as reflectivity, that alter based on the desired product.

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