Abstract

Optical Interference coatings for the visible and near infrared are usually made of oxide thin films. Many oxide coatings produced by popular thermal deposition techniques, e.g. electron beam, are less than bulk density and absorb water from the atmosphere. We present data on coatings prepared by ion beam sputtering that are very dense and show very little water content. This results in coatings that are more stable in the environment.

© 1984 Optical Society of America