Scale-up of Nano-Engineered Anti-Reflection Coating Process for Large Plastic Optics

In a recently completed NASA SBIR program, Agiltron and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed a novel nanoporous UV anti-reflection coating technology for complex plastic optics. This coating is based on recent breakthroughs in self-assembled low index multilayer structures achieved at MIT, combined with Agiltron's mist coating processes. The UV AR coatings consisted of inter-connected oxide nanoparticles in the form of a 3D porous network. We successfully demonstrated this AR coating on a 3" by 3" PMMA plate and 1.25" diameter Fresnel lens with suppressed surface reflection below 1% in the UV range. The coating adhesion also passed standard optical surface cleaning procedures recommended by NASA. In this current SBIR program, Agiltron proposes to scale up the coating process to coat large scale PMMA Fresnel lens surfaces up to 0.25 meters in diameter in Phase I and 1 meter in diameter in Phase II. Agiltron will closely work with NASA to develop the evaluation process for coating uniformity and optical performance.