SPONSORED: OPTICAL COATINGS
large volumes of complex surfaces, very precisely.” SSI now has the capabilities
to produce aluminium, gold and custom optical coatings with high reflectivity. This is a significant achievement, according to Cook, especially given the rise in demand for silicon-based sensors, which can suffer when you reach the 200nm threshold. As the wavelength continues to shorten, these issues are exacerbated and the responsivity in these lower UV wavelengths diminishes greatly.. “Imagine these coatings
are used for the mirrors in a spectrometer, for example. Such systems may have three, four or six mirrors between the light source and the sensor.” Taking into account that
manufacturing. Cook adds: “We offer a range of optical coatings to our customers and this replication process provides us with the capability to produce
throughput = Rn (where R is mirror reflectivity and n is the number of mirrors in the system), this results in a significant loss of photons by the time you reach the sensor. The advancing
miniaturisation of many of today’s optical systems also
‘We’re pushing the boundaries of existing technology and we’ve only just finalised these optical coatings in the last six to 12 months’
requires a smaller light source with fewer photons to work with. This has an impact where “every photon counts”, according to Cook. Sensitivity is a primary capability for any optical system but especially when working in the DUV and VUV range where end users need to be able to confidently see the signal out of the noise. Instruments using silicon- based sensors need a boost in the deeper UV ranges. At wavelengths lower than 200nm, the sensitivity of silicon-based sensors, including CMOS, CCD and photodiode arrays, is greatly reduced. Grant Decastro, technical
sales engineer at SSI, says: “The ultimate goal is to achieve high sensitivity for instrumentation operating in the DUV and VUV range and when you have highly reflective mirrors, signal strength increases and this translates to increased sensitivity.” In the company’s latest
white paper, SSI reveals how its range of VUV coatings are providing high reflectivity and helping customers achieve high sensitivity. Now, the company believes a wider range of DUV and VUV-based applications will be improved thanks to the superior reflectivity provided by its optical coatings. “The difference we’re offering is a higher reflectivity than has been previously available. We’re pushing the boundaries of existing technology and we’ve only just finalised these optical coatings in the last six to 12 months,” Cook concludes. “We’re hoping that customers will come to us with new and existing applications where their optical coatings require improvement.” EO
New white paper now online
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HOW UNIQUE OPTICAL COATINGS BOOST PERFORMANCE IN THE DEEP UV AND VACUUM UV REGIONS
In the company’s latest white paper, Spectrum Scientific, Inc (SSI) explains how its optical coatings provide superior reflectivity to boost the sensitivity of optical systems operating in the DUV and VUV spectral regions
www.electrooptics.com/white-papers
Electro Optics
SSI
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