Abstract

A design for automation of the coating deposition process for the manufacture of rugate filters is presented. Three monitoring techniques, photometry, interferometry, and ellipsometry, are being evaluated for use in the deposition control loop. A design for each is summarized. The system design for process control, sensor fusion, and long-term analysis is outlined. The task objective is to provide a cost-effective, accurate, reproducible, and time-efficient method of producing rugate filters.

© 1988 Optical Society of America