ND filter, manufacturing method thereof, and aperture device
US7483226B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 22, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jan 27, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 29, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/31678
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An ND filter of a thin film type is formed on a transparent substrate, such that a light-absorbing film and a dielectric film are laminated on the transparent substrate. The transparent substrate is formed of a resin film which can be fed at a constant speed. The light-absorbing film is deposited by sputtering a target material comprised of a metal or a mixture of a metal and a metal oxide onto the resin film traveling at the constant speed while using a mixture gas of oxygen, nitrogen, and argon as an ambient gas. Consequently, the light-absorbing film is composed of a mixture of the metal and metal compounds, and has an extinction coefficient of 0.3 or more in a visible wavelength range. Typically, the light-absorbing film is composed of 1% through 50% by weight of the metal, 30% or more by weight of saturated metal oxide, and residual components composed of the compounds of the metal containing lower oxide and nitride of the metal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.