Precision thickness optical coating system and method of operation thereof
US6039806A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 20, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC23C14/30
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The present invention provides for a system for the precision optical coating of substrates and a method of operating the system. The system has a vacuum chamber, a plasma source in the vacuum chamber, a plurality of e-beam evaporation units which generate a vapor of optical coating material in the vacuum chamber, and a plurality of stations, each station holding one substrate and rotating the substrate during deposition of the optical coating material upon the substrate. Each of the stations has an optical monitoring unit which monitors in situ the deposition of the optical coating material upon the corresponding substrate. With the described system, high production rates of precision optical elements, such as narrow bandpass optical filters, can be achieved.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.