Thin Film Research. Volume 2
Abstract
Optical thin films are critical components in a broad range of technologies, ranging from energy conversion to information storage. In response to the demand for increasingly specialized and durable coatings, enquiry into the basic nature of these coatings has intensified. Such efforts are necessary because assumptions that thin films were similar to nominally identical bulk materials have proven unreliable. For example, while most bulk materials show a high degree of isotropy, thin films display pronounced anisotropy. Another distinction between bulk and thin film materials is the lower density of the latter, with the resulting porosity. Both anisotropy and porosity often contribute to the unpredictable performance and durability of optical coatings. This report covers three years of fruitful research aimed at better understanding and modifying film microstructure in the direction of greater isotropy and density through novel deposition techniques. We have supported this effort with an array of analysis techniques and with a major effort in film growth simulation and in the theoretical description of anisotropic films.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 30, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA157609
Entities
People
- H. A. Macleod
Organizations
- University of Arizona