ION ASSISTED DEPOSITION OF HARD OPTICAL COATINGS

THE ION ASSISTED DEPOSITION (IAD) PROCESS WILL BE EMPLOYED DURING DEPOSITION OF DIELECTRIC COATINGS WITH IMPROVED EROSION RESISTANCE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS EFFORT IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE COMMERCIAL FEASIBILITY OF THE IAD PROCESS TO PRODUCE HARD OPTICAL COATINGS. THE EFFORT WILL CONSIST OF A MATRIX OF FIVE COATING MATERIALS AND THREE DEPOSITION CONDITIONS. THE MATERIALS CHOSEN HAVE A WIDE TRANSMITTANCE RANGE FROM THE UV TO THE IR. FILMS WILL BE DEPOSITED ON DIFFERENT TYPES AND SHAPES OF SUBSTRATES TO EXAMINE SUBSTRATE/FILM CAPABILITY. A NUMBER OF DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES WILL BE EMPLOYED TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMUM DEPOSITION CONDITIONS THAT YIELD FILMS WITH THE BEST OPTICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES.