Visualization of simulated coating efficiency and uniformity.

For a line-of-sight coating uniformity model, the source distribution is normalized such that all material can be traced. This is validated for a point source in an empty coating chamber. We can now quantify the source utilization of a coating geometry to determine what fraction of the evaporated source material is collected on the optics of interest. For the example of a planetary motion system, we calculate this utilization and two nonuniformity parameters for a large range of two input parameters, here the distance between the source and the rotary drive system and the lateral displacement of the source from the machine centerline. Contour plot visualizations in this 2D parameter space assist understanding geometry trade-offs.

Optical Society of America's 2010 Topical Meeting on Optical Interference Coatings: introduction by the feature editors.

This Applied Optics feature issue is dedicated to the eleventh topical meeting on Optical Interference Coatings held on 6-11 June 2010 in Tucson, Arizona, USA. This topical conference is held in a three year rotation with conferences in Europe and Asia and is a premier opportunity to discuss advances in research and development within the field of optical interference coatings. Papers from this meeting cover a broad range of topics ranging from deposition processes, thin film design, materials, metrology, and a wide array of practical applications.

Optical Interference Coatings Design Contest 2007: triple bandpass filter and nonpolarizing beam splitter.

A triple bandpass filter (28 solutions received) and a nonpolarizing beam splitter (23 solutions received) were the subjects of the design contest held in conjunction with the 2007 Optical Interference Coatings topical meeting of the Optical Society of America. Fifteen designers participated using a wide spectrum of design approaches and optimization strategies to create the submissions. The results differ significantly, but all meet the contest requirements. Fabien Lemarchand wins both contests by submitting the thinnest (6254 nm) triple bandpass design and the widest (61.7 nm) nonpolarizing beam-splitter design. Michael Trubetskov is in second place, followed by Vladimir Pervak in both contests. The submitted designs are described and evaluated.

Optical interference coatings design contest 2004.

A manufacturable, broadband, broad-angle antireflection (AR) coating for the visible (13 designs submitted) and a minimum-shift immersed short-pass filter (12 designs submitted) were the subjects of the design contest held in conjunction with the 2004 Optical Interference Coatings topical meeting of the Optical Society of America. Under the specified constraints, the broadband, broad-angle AR coating could be made more than 65 nm wide. The statistical stability of manufacturing simulations is discussed. The short-pass filter could operate up to a +/- 5.5 degree angular range. The submitted designs are described and evaluated.

Topical meeting on optical interference coatings (OIC'2001): design contest results.

A gain-flattening filter (GFF) for minimum manufacturing errors (12 designs submitted) and dense wavelength-division multiplex (DWDM) filters for low group-delay (GD) variation (9 designs submitted) was the subject of a design contest held in conjunction with the Optical Interference Coatings 2001 topical meeting of the Optical Society of America. Results of the contest are given and evaluated. It turned out that the parameter space for GFFs with optimum performance when manufacturing errors are not considered is much different from that when manufacturing errors are considered. DWDM filter solutions with low GD variation are possible.