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Antireflective coatings by sol–gel processing: commercial products and future perspectives

  • Original Paper: Industrial and technological applications of sol-gel and hybrid materials
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Abstract

Commercial antireflective coatings prepared by sol–gel processing are compared to MgF2 λ/4 thin films. Their respective optical performance is measured by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Microstructural features as characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy are correlated to results determined by Ellipsometric Porosimetry. A modified Crockmeter testing procedure employing steel wool as abrasive was used to examine mechanical film stability. Results indicate that MgF2 films can well compete with other porous λ/4 systems, as well as with dense interference multilayer assemblies targeting at superior optical and mechanical properties.

Graphical Abstract

The performance of commercially available sol–gel antireflective coatings are compared with porous MgF2 film system. Results indicate that they exhibit superior properties compared to their SiO2 counterparts under investigation.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Prinz Optics (Stromberg, Germany) for providing commercial samples and performing coating experiments. The author thanks the research group of Erhard Kemnitz at the Humboldt University, Berlin, for the supply of MgF2 coating solutions. This project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (Grant 03ET1235A).

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  1. Fraunhofer-Institut für Silicatforschung, Neunerplatz 2, Würzburg, 97082, Germany

    Peer Löbmann

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Löbmann, P. Antireflective coatings by sol–gel processing: commercial products and future perspectives. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 83, 291–295 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-017-4408-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-017-4408-x

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