Mastering the Hidden Pitfalls of Metallic Coatings

Metallic mirror coatings are critical for countless optical systems. Their optical designs are usually quite simple but face challenges in terms of environmental stability and performance across multiple spectral bands. Understanding the hidden complexities of these coatings allows for the proper selection of reflective optics to maximize the performance of optical systems.

This webinar will delve into the fundamental principles applicable to all metallic coatings. It will cover the advantages and disadvantages of the most common metallic coatings, as well as enhanced metallic coatings. Specific examples will be provided, including a deeper exploration into enhanced silver coatings for ultrafast applications. Due to the inherently low group delay dispersion (GDD) of metals and the intrinsic high reflectance of silver, ultrafast enhanced silver coatings can offer a cost-effective means to manage chromatic dispersion in ultrafast laser systems. The webinar will conclude with a Q&A.

Who Should Attend: 
Engineering, R&D, manufacturing, and production professionals who are involved in the development, implementation, and/or use of optical components. Anyone involved in the specification and/or purchase of optical coatings. Regardless of industry, if your work involves optical components, you can benefit from this informative webinar and the answers it will provide to your metallic coating questions and challenges.

About the Presenter:
Ian Stevenson is a principal engineer working in Edmund Optics’ Barrington, N.J., office. He has been responsible for specifying and acquiring state-of-the-art metrology for high-performance laser coatings, such as Cavity Ring Down for ultralow loss measurements, and Photothermal for detection of very low absorption levels in substrates and thin films. He has also developed a full range of metallic mirror coatings, which are now in production. Stevenson received his BSc in physics with honors from Edinburgh University, Scotland, and has published numerous papers on the practical aspects of optical coatings. He authored a chapter in the Encyclopedia of Optical Engineering on thin-film deposition techniques.

This webinar is sponsored by Evaporated Coatings Inc (ECI). ECI supplies high-precision optical coatings as a design resource for prototypes, as well as a complete manufacturing and quality organization.

This webinar is also sponsored by Edmund Optics Inc. (EO). EO designs and manufactures a wide selection of optical components, multi-element lenses, imaging systems, and optomechanical equipment, while supporting original equipment manufacturer (OEM) applications with volume production of stock and custom products.