World Leader in Deep-Dish Optical Coatings

     For over 15 years Optiforms has been providing a multitude of industries with exceptional vacuum deposited thin film optical coatings. Our thin film laboratory has been a leader in vacuum deposition surface enhancement coatings where maximum performance is a priority. Our unique gold and metallic coatings have been used in industries including aerospace, military, medical and many more applications requiring upon infrared reflectance. Some of the most unique applications have ranged from anti-missile systems all the way to laser hair removal instruments.

     Over the years, we have developed high performance dichroic cold coatings (DCC) for motion picture projection, xenon searchlights, ultraviolet enhancement coatings for UV applications, as well as a multitude of other special application optical coatings. Optiforms is the recognized world leader in coating deep-dish reflectors and was the first in the industry to provide a warranty on its vacuum coated electroformed reflectors. The consistent pursuit of excellence keeps Optiforms one of the world's leaders in precision electroformed optics and optical thin film coatings. Optiforms offers a wide variety of thin film optical coatings. Possible applications include:

• Cinema reflectors and digital projection optics


• Energy related coatings


• Solar thermal control coatings


• Coatings for display applications


• Optical coatings for collection optics


• Broad band high reflectance coatings


• Narrow band high reflectance coatings


• Anti-reflection coatings


• Enhanced metal coatings

REFLECTIVITY INSPECTION UTILIZING
PERKIN-ELMER
SPECTROPHOTOMETER

• Rhodium (RH): Hard, durable, and inert, this precious metal is electrodeposited. Reflectivity ranges from near 70% in the near ultraviolet to over 80% in the infrared. With this broad range and the relative low cost, electro-deposited rhodium has become the standard at Optiforms.



• Aluminum (AL): Aluminum is a vacuum deposited soft metal with approximately 90% reflectance from the ultraviolet through the infrared, with the exception of 800 to 850 nanometers. Cost is moderate, but the nature of bare aluminum is so delicate that it is rarely used without protective overcoats.



• Aluminum with Magnesium Fluoride (AF): Used where the ultraviolet reflectivity of aluminum is required. The magnesium fluoride overcoat retards oxidation and provides abrasion protection. The moderate cost is somewhat offset by the more sensitive care required in cleaning and maintaining the surface.



• Enhanced Rhodium (ER): A hybrid coating developed at Optiforms combining electrodeposited rhodium with vacuum deposited thin-film overcoats. The dichroic overcoating is optimized such that the reflectance of rhodium is enhanced over a limited spectral band. This extremely durable coating is primarily used for ultraviolet bands where the high reflectance (around 95%) and environmental stability more than justify the higher costs. The reflectance bandwidth is a function of the central wavelength, and can be specified for 250 nanometers or longer.



• Aluminum with Silicon Dioxide (AQ): Silicon dioxide overcoated aluminum, also vacuum deposited, exhibits over 90% reflectance across the visible spectrum, with good handling characteristics. While not as durable as rhodium, aluminum with silicon dioxide has improved reflectance with a slightly increased cost.



• Dichroic Cold Coating (DCC): A hybrid coating developed for illumination applications such as motion picture projection systems. A high reflectance dichroic coating for the visible spectrum is combined with an infrared absorbing component, allowing over 75% of the infrared (heat) energy to be absorbed by the reflector. With a reflectance of over 95% in the visible range, the elimination of most of the infrared in the downstream optical path, and excellent durability, the premium cost for this optimized system is clearly justified.

• Gold (Au): Totally inert, gold is an excellent reflective surface for the near to far infrared spectrum. OFI gold is available as electrodeposited or vacuum deposited based on application and or substrate material. Reflectivity scans are available upon request and are typically performed on flat coupons coated in the same lot as the actual substrate.



• Electrodeposited Gold is more durable than vacuum deposited gold. Its infrared reflectance is usually 1-2 percent below that of vacuum gold and is generally applied to conductive substrates.



• Vacuum Deposited Gold's inherent purity yields maximum reflectance and a fragile surface. For use over limited spectral bands we can apply a protective overcoat which improves its durability while only slightly affecting reflectivity.

* The reflectance of good evaporated mirror coatings is always higher than that of a polished or electroplated surface of the same material.