OPTICAL COATINGS FOR INFRARED DETECTORS USING PULSED RF PLASMA POLYMERIZATIONS

THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEVISE A NEW APPROACH TO OPTICAL COATINGS FOR INFRARED DETECTORS. SPECIFICALLY, IT CENTERS ON THE USE OF A NOVEL, PULSED RF PLASMA DEPOSITION PROCESS. WITH RESPECT TO OPTICAL COATINGS, THE PULSED RF PLASMA TECHNIQUE HAS SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER COATING METHODS, SUCH AS CONTINUOUS-WAVE PLASMA AND OTHER CVD AND CONVENTIONAL METHODS. THESE ADVANTAGES INCLUDE VARIATION IN THE MOLECULAR COMPOSITION OF THE FILM (WITH CHANGES IN DUTY CYCLE FOR A GIVEN MONOMER), BETTER CONTROL OF FILM THICKNESS, AND THE ABILITY TO DEPOSIT OPTICAL-GRADE COATINGSWHILE MAINTAINING THE SUBSTRATE AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 45 DEGREES CENTIGRADE. THE USE OF THE PULSED RF PLASMA TECHNIQUE IS ESPECIALLY WELL SUITED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ANTI-REFLECTIVE COATINGS FOR INFRARED DETECTORS. THE PROCESS DESCRIBED IS ESPECIALLY PROMISING FOR FAR INFRARED DETECTORS. THESE FILMS CAN PROVIDE IMPROVED PROTECTION FOR THESE DETECTORS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, A BENEFIT FOR LOW-EARTH-ORBIT MATERIALS SUBJECTED TO OXYGEN ATOM ATTACK. ALTHOUGH THE TECHNOLOGY DESCRIBED EMPHASIZES OPTICAL COATINGS FOR INFRARED DETECTORS, THE CONTROL OF FILMCOMPOSITION OBTAINED WITH PULSED RF PLASMAS WILL BE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MATERIALS. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEVISE A NEW APPROACH TO OPTICAL COATINGS FOR INFRARED DETECTORS. SPECIFICALLY, IT CENTERS ON THE USE OF A NOVEL, PULSED RF PLASMA DEPOSITION PROCESS. WITH RESPECT TO OPTICAL COATINGS, THE PULSED RF PLASMA TECHNIQUE HAS SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER COATING METHODS, SUCH AS CONTINUOUS-WAVE PLASMA AND OTHER CVD AND CONVENTIONAL METHODS. THESE ADVANTAGES INCLUDE VARIATION IN THE MOLECULAR COMPOSITION OF THE FILM (WITH CHANGES IN DUTY CYCLE FOR A GIVEN MONOMER), BETTER CONTROL OF FILM THICKNESS, AND THE ABILITY TO DEPOSIT OPTICAL-GRADE COATINGSWHILE MAINTAINING THE SUBSTRATE AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 45 DEGREES CENTIGRADE. THE USE OF THE PULSED RF PLASMA TECHNIQUE IS ESPECIALLY WELL SUITED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ANTI-REFLECTIVE COATINGS FOR INFRARED DETECTORS. THE PROCESS DESCRIBED IS ESPECIALLY PROMISING FOR FAR INFRARED DETECTORS. THESE FILMS CAN PROVIDE IMPROVED PROTECTION FOR THESE DETECTORS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, A BENEFIT FOR LOW-EARTH-ORBIT MATERIALS SUBJECTED TO OXYGEN ATOM ATTACK. ALTHOUGH THE TECHNOLOGY DESCRIBED EMPHASIZES OPTICAL COATINGS FOR INFRARED DETECTORS, THE CONTROL OF FILMCOMPOSITION OBTAINED WITH PULSED RF PLASMAS WILL BE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MATERIALS.